I had low expectations heading into the seventh installment of the SCREAM franchise, yet the OG Kevin Williamson couldn’t even reach that bar. As the film starts, I was excited to see the mechanism Williamson uses to bring the uninitiated up to speed on the SCREAM franchise. My hopes went even higher when he metaphorically burns things to the ground. However, my hopes went up in smoke when the story quickly pivoted to Sidney (Neve Campbell) living out a simple suburban life. Yes, there are some inventive kills throughout, but the momentum can’t be sustained. Once Gale (Courtney Cox) makes her appearance, things quickly fall apart.
There were moments when I tried to guess who the killers were, like you would in an Agatha Christie novel or the much better KNIVES OUT movies. But I soon realized SCREAM 7 isn’t that clever. Honestly, it’s about as simple as a SCOOBY-DOO episode, maybe even less. It’s 2026, and they’re still using the old ‘someone escaped from the insane asylum’ storyline? That’s just ridiculous.
Final Thought: SCREAM 7 is a waste of Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox’s time. Yes, it took a big “stab” at the box office on opening weekend, but it’s one that won’t be remembered due to an awful plot, forgettable kills, and a franchise that’s grasping for air.
You can catch it in theaters now.
