Review: 'Scream VI'

Ghost Face is back, and he is taking on Manhattan! But don't worry, this isn't like when a certain hockey mask-wearing serial killer took to the Big Apple. First, the entire movie is set in New York City. Second, you'll actually enjoy yourself – and not just from campy, guilty pleasures. That's right, after a half dozen films, the "Scream" series is going strong, offering one of its best and most fun entries yet!

Set one year after the Woodsboro massacre that introduced the world to our "core four" of Sam, Tara, Mindy, and Chad, they have all moved to New York City with the latter three attending Blackmore College while Sam hovers like an overprotective parent. They have become infamous thanks to internet conspiracies about what happened in that sleepy little town, and faster than you can say "sequel to the requel," the bodies begin to pile up.

Everyone – both in front of and behind the camera – seems more at ease this time around. The filmmakers have course corrected, providing more development for the surviving characters and creating new characters that you actually care about. The legacy characters, Gale and Kirby this time around, are also used more organically than they were in the previous film. Most importantly, the fun is back! They've crafted a rollercoaster ride that will keep you second guessing yourself all the way through to the credits.

Much like the last film, there are still plenty of Easter eggs sprinkled throughout for hardcore "Scream" fans. But they have also changed up some of the most tried and true elements of the franchise.

All of that said, there are some problems with the film, most notably the final act. It could have been tightened up, because in its current form it feels a little bit like the end of a "Scooby-Doo" episode and there might be some lingering logistical problems if you think too hard. A personal pet peeve plea would also have each new Ghost Face stop trying to say that the characters have never seen one like them before. We are six movies in, and Ghost Face is fundamentally still Ghost Face, even if they have gotten a little more stab happy in these last few films.

"Scream VI" really does feel like a new chapter in the same story rather than just a sequel, and it's only natural to build from toxic fandom in the last film to the spreading of internet conspiracies (I'm looking at you Stu-truthers, who believe Matthew Lillard's original killer is somehow still alive). Another film feels inevitable, and after seeing the direction of "Scream VI" and the comfortability of everyone involved, hopefully we will see Ghost Face for years to come.

"Scream VI" opens in theaters on Friday, March 10, 2023.