Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023)

As far as horror franchises go, the Scream series has to be one of my favorites. It started out strong, and every entry has had something to say. It doesn’t just add to the slasher genre, it comments on it. It combines this thoughtfulness with the genre tropes—scares, mystery, and rooting for the characters’ survival—better than oother long-running series.

In 2022 the series went through a “requel” as so many film franchises have. It might be the most well-done of all the requels out there. However, it does have its problems. Highest on any list would be the new entries’ approach to violence. The films have always ben hyper-violent. That is, after all, a feature of the genre. And, although Scream VI may be one of the most violent in the whole franchise, it is not the gore that is the problem. The two new entries have totally lost any respect for that violence. In the earlier films—all of horror really—the violence and death were treated realistically and seriously. At least as far as the consequences go. If someone got stabbed, they were almost always killed. In these new films, the violence is inconsequential. Multiple characters have been stabbed—often multiple times—and they can always survive. It has gotten to the point where you no longer worry about the main characters being caught or attacked. It is hard to have compelling slasher stories if the characters are not really in danger.

So, how do the Scream films rank in my mind?

1. Scream (1996)
2. Scream 2 (1997)
3. Scream (2022)
4. Scream VI (2023)
5. Scream 3 (2000)
6. Scream 4 (2011)