Scream VI

**Scream VI cranks up the violence, paranoia, and chaos but also enhances the character development and story, making the new directors' second entry even better than I had hoped!** I have been hyped and anxiously anticipating this movie since the final moments of finishing Scream (2022) in theaters - and it did not disappoint! The Radio Silence team (Bettinnelli-Olpin and Gillett) prove they are the perfect new shepherds of the franchise. The four young survivors take giant leaps in character development as they grapple with the trauma, fallout, and spotlight of the last film's events. Their loyalty and care for each other draw immediate similarities to Sidney, Dewey, and Gale, which quickly endear the "Core Four" as beloved characters you desperately want to survive. The danger, kills, and gore all have been cranked up a notch, and for the first time in the franchise, even the survivors are possible Ghostfaces. I doubt and suspect everyone while simultaneously caring for them - that is masterful writing right there! On top of all that, having another legacy character back with Kirby Reed returning was fantastic. I loved this movie, but I really missed Dewey and Sidney. I also think the main Ghostface killer is a little too over the top when revealed, which keeps Scream (1996) and Scream (2022) ahead on my list. But those are incredibly minor complaints! Scream VI is another exceptional entry in the Scream franchise, and I hope we get another one soon!

Scream VI has the "killer" trademark opening kill we've all come to expect and it does not disappoint! The fresh setting (in New York City) is a welcome twist. While it is somewhat self-referential it is not nearly as much on that vibe as Scream V. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are back with the same knack for set pieces but they're even stepped up their game more! Each scenario is cleverly set up for maximum suspense and tension, then pays off with buckets of blood. There's a scene set on the subway that is especially hair-raising. The women rule here -- Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, and Jasmin Savoy Brown are totally believable and likable. It just goes to show that this franchise can survive and even thrive without the legacy characters. I'll be watching this one again.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-radio-silences-horror-sequel-scream-vi-is-satisfying-enough/ "Scream VI is satisfying enough as another sequel. The new location and sets bring much-needed freshness to the franchise. The killings have never been this visually violent and gory, pushing the entertainment levels of a pretty fast-paced story. Melissa Barrera proves that she's capable of leading a film of this scale, but Jenna Ortega plays in a league of her own. Unfortunately, the third act is everything that it shouldn't be: predictable, forced, underwhelming, and incapable of bringing together all its meta commentary – lacking development, or a plot. One too many inconsistencies, even for a saga known for not taking itself seriously." Rating: B-

Now I did approach this with some trepidation. I positively hated the puerile outing for "Ghostface" from last year. Still, it could hardly be much worse - and, as it happens, is actually really rather better. The plot still reminds me of something from an edition of "Scooby Do". The slasher manages to penetrate tight security; be in half a dozen places at one time; have access to secret phone numbers etc...; whilst those impaled appear to have a remarkable resilience for survival and recovery after an onslaught that would have felled an elephant. That's not the point, though. Unlike so many of the genre, this is actually quite scary and works well as a bit of a self-parody. If you've watched the others in the franchise, you will know how the dynamic plays out - and this is just an extension of that. The story doesn't really matter - it's the way in which the directors manage to imbue the whole thing with an entertaining degree of menace and paranoia, a few quite effective jump moments and by using a cast of relative non-entities (and by only using the wooden as a draining-board Courteney Cox sparingly), they manage to create a film that is actually a bit frightening at times. There are plenty of new characters for us to suspect including love interest Josh Segarra ("Danny") - who reminded me of Christian Bale, and the rather hapless Jack Champion's ("Ethan") before an ending that was, admittedly, quite ridiculous! This is not a film that will engage your brain on any level, but as piece of well constructed entertainment with some frequently quite witty dialogue and an eye watering encounter between a boy and a taser - it's well worth catching up with.