Scream 2022: What’s a “Re-quel”?
Only the Scream franchise would introduce the word “re-quel” – a term so cinematically dense – into its already meta screenplay and premise. I expect nothing less from a series that has psycho-analyzed the totality of the horror genre while simultaneously creating its own expansive, trope-filled storyline. And in an age of tired reboots and sequels of once original and groundbreaking cinema, you would think that the new Scream would be equally as tired, especially with the franchise being in the state it was in prior to this installment. But 2022’s Scream proudly proclaims that this reboot is exactly what the franchise needed.
As an ardent fan of the original Scream, I came into Scream 2022 with many ideas as to what this movie was supposed to look like. I specifically love the first two movies in the franchise, the first of which being one of my favorite movies of all time. Upon arriving at the movie theater, I was expecting to see the usual Scream gags of false deaths, unexpected relationships, and an abundance of movie references. What I wasn’t anticipating though, was that Scream would directly address and challenge those tropes which it had always catered to and alter them to a more modern audience of horror film viewers.
Right from the start, Scream shows us just what a “re-quel” is by recreating the original telephone scene which starred Drew Barrymore, just with a new character – Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega). In a fantastic cold open, we are introduced to the serial killer, Ghost Face, through a series of phone calls to an unsuspecting teenage girl, ending in a gory blood bath which will set off the rest of the movie’s events. Shortly after, more new characters are introduced as the plot ensues, but not to be remiss, much of the original cast still makes an appearance in the movie. In fact, the original characters – Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) – are the reason why this movie feels like home.
Besides just these new characters, many things in Scream (2022) are contrary to the franchise’s expectation. And by following the same essential premise, these differences become much more evident than they would have been had it not been so similar to the original. The emotion these moments bring also stand for something substantial when we look at the past installments. Popular opinion says that the past two Scream movies (Scream 3 and Scream 4) have fallen flat with lazy renditions of what used to be clever commentary on the horror genre. The “re-quel” on the other hand, brings in new contentions to terror that go further than the basic critiques of slasher movies and classic thrillers. By incorporating the idea of the more modern “high-brow horror,” they add a nuance to their meta commentary that is far more psychological. Where the original Scream parodied movies like Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street, the new one realizes that their audience has evolved and is more compelled by the likes of The Babadook and Hereditary. As per usual with Scream, the audience doubts itself, but with more culturally relevant themes playing into the motivations of the characters, the consequences seem more real.
Where Scream fails is in its somewhat exaggerated use of meta commentary as a way of explaining the plot as it's happening. Though in some moments, this dialogue comes off as clever, it often seems redundant and overused. Falling into the common mistake of “telling and not showing,” leads the dialogue and plot into uninteresting and over explained motivations and side plots. Because Scream has always relied so heavily on this type of dialogue, it is unable to escape this trap in some moments of the film. This makes the innovative writing that Scream so often employs, appear overly pretentious and tired. As the characters dictate their motivations and the motivations of others, the actions as well as their implications don’t get to speak for themselves.
No matter the flaws, I don’t think anything could ruin Scream for me. After almost 30 years, that same heart and dedication to the horror movie genre can still be found within Scream. Despite its flaws, the original fans of the franchise will still be able to revisit the town of Woodsboro with many of the original characters while, at the same time, not feeling like they are just rewatching the 1996 version. Scream 2022 enjoys getting to come back for another round, but it also demands that this “re-quel” was an essential addition to the universe.
Scream will be coming to Paramount Plus in March.
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