Scream VI (2023)

My quick rating - 6.5/10. Let's see how they do without Neve Campbell. Not only did they do fine, I will take this entry slightly over last year's reboot of the horror series (review). This is mainly due to one factor: They have unleashed an even more brutal version of the Ghostface killer. Beyond that, if you thought enough already about the whole Scream idea and the last one was overkill or just a cash grab, then do not bother with this one. If you are still reading, then you will want to know the good. First off, the kills are quite nice, and I do like the relentless version we have this time. So if you want more blood, then you will be satisfied. They also do a nice job of taking the retread characters from Scream 5 and giving them a bit more depth. Not saying that is necessary for a horror flick, but at least I got a better feel for their plight this time. Getting Jenna Ortega front and center after becoming the Hollywood darling of Wednesday was a must, and it worked seamlessly. Her and older sister Melissa Barrera leave Woodsboro and make a home in New York City in hopes of putting that bit of the past behind them. But we wouldn't be here for the requel-sequel if that were at all possible. And this time they decide to really double down on the formula that has been the driving force of these flix, "whodunit". Even though you are prepped to start guessing who it is right away, the writers made sure to throw plenty of crumbs around to keep you wondering. You will really get pulled into this one right away as it opens up at full tilt with a couple of nice kills before the credits are even rolling. And not too long into the mayhem will we see Courteney Cox again reporting on the familiar gruesome happenings. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett work up some really nice set pieces and find a way to bleed out every last drop of the scenes they are designed for. A favorite is a simple corner store robbery that turns into a bloodbath when Ghostface shows up. Only the fans of the series need to check this out since it doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it does enough to separate itself from being mundane, which is exactly what I expected to happen.

$20 purchase for the theater at home, or stream it if you have Paramount+.

#horror #jackmeatsflix #IMDB #Plex