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| The cool poster for Wes Craven's Scream 4 |
Eleven years have passed since the events of Scream 3 (2000), and Sidney Prescott has found a new life for herself and written a book about her bloody experiences. But as she returns to Woodsboro on her book tour, a new series of gruesome murders begins by the hands of two new Ghostfaced killers.
A good 10 years of cooling off was apparently just what the Scream franchise needed since the vapid last film. Horror maestro Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)) is back here, directing a Kevin Williams (Scream (1996)) script. And Scream 4 is easily the series' next best entry, only bested by the original Scream.
This reboot is rife with raw energy, kills, humor and new stars (SPOILER that all die.) It looks great, shot by Peter Deming (Drag Me to Hell (2009)), lighted in a more rough design than the earlier films that suits this new update of the Scream universe.
The fresh, exciting stars, many of whom suffer gruesome, inventive deaths, include: Emma Roberts (We're the Millers (2013)), Marielle Jaffe (Locked Away (2010)), Hayden Panettiere (Nashville (2012-16)), Erik Knudsen (Beastly (2011)), Nico Tortorella (Odd Thomas (2013)), Anthony Anderson (Bound (2013)), Mary McDonnell (Donnie Darko (2011)) and Rory Culkin (You Can Count On Me (2000)). Neve Campbell (The Company (2003)), David Arquette (Eight Legged Freaks (2002)) and Courtney Cox (Cougar Town (2009-15)) are all back, and Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)) and Anna Paquin (The Piano (1993)) appear in cameos in an entertaining opening scene.
The only minus about Scream 4 SPOILER is that the murderer feels the need to over-explain the fatalities in the end.
But Scream 4 is still a brilliant slasher and a deserved return to form for Craven, who hasn't directed since, - and might have quietly retired with Scream 4?
Related posts:
Wes Craven: 2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) or, Don't Fall Asleep!
Watch the trailer for the film here
Cost: 40 mil. $
Box office: 97.1 mil. $
= Minor flop
[Scream 4 opened #2 to 19.3 mil. $ in North America, where it grossed 38.1 mil. $ (39 % of the total gross). It made an additional 4.1 mil. $ from video sales in the US. Its performance is by many considered disappointing, although producer Harvey Weinstein has said that he was happy with the gross of the film, (which has accrued more profits via streaming and thru other channels.) But a 5th and 6th film, talked about prior to the release of Scream 4, have not materialized. - Instead, we're getting a Scream TV-series!]
What do you think of Scream 4?
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