Scream [2022] [Blu-ray]
SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
The first in the series not to be helmed by Wes Craven, after his death in 2015, 2022’s Scream, directed by two thirds of the collective, Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) - not Scream 5, nor 5CREAM, as many people theorised - is a tantalising return for the iconic slasher franchise.
As with the previous Scream movies, we can see how horror has once again evolved, with the violence being far more ‘up close and personal’ this time around, and with fantastic use of camera angles and musical compositions to build the tension, before taking you by surprise. Technology plays a more prominent role this time around, with hackable app-controlled locks for peoples’ houses and a built-in voice-changer on Ghostface’s mask. There’s also good use of practical effects, with prosthetic work to really up the ante when it comes to some of the more gruesome, grisly deaths.
Sam Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera, has had to make her way back to her hometown after vowing never to return, upon discovering that her younger sister has been attacked by someone in a Ghostface mask. We’ve got a new friendship group this time around, living in Woodsboro, and each with their own links to the previous cast, with some secrets among them - which is a nice way to tie everything up neatly. Suspicion is cast at everyone straight off the bat, with the revelation - from OG survivor, Dewey - that the killer is bound to be someone in the group. Relationships are tested, and trust has gone completely out the window.
Time is spent introducing you to each of the newbies, which was an appreciated move - deviating away from the usual cast of characters that we already know and love. It isn’t until we’re already a decent chunk into the movie before we bring Sidney and Co along. Ghostface is far more sinister and emotive in their movement and behaviours, and you can recognise that as being part of the killers plans to make Ghostface more threatening, by ‘acting’ out the character of Ghostface as to how they want them to be portrayed - which is pretty damn effective, if you ask me! It makes a lot of commentary on the problems with toxic fandoms, even throwing in a couple of jokes towards all of the shit thrown Rian Johnson’s way for The Last Jedi - pointing out just how much that ‘fans’ think they own the things they love.
It’s a fantastically entertaining time, and has a lot of heart too; the original cast having been reunited after a significant time apart, and all of the emotion that this brings, what with all the changes each has gone through in their lives since Woodsboro. It keeps you guessing as to who is involved, and we found that it pulled off the final reveal more successfully than some of the previous titles. It’s also dedicated to Wes Craven’s memory, both in the credits and through a character’s name, which was a nice, fitting inclusion for the master of horror.
The Blu-ray copy of Scream also includes various Special Features such as Filmmaker Commentary, Deleted Scenes, a few Featurettes called New Blood, Bloodlines and In the Shadow of the Master; as well as the original 1996 trailer - our only gripe is that we wish there was more! But in all honesty, you’re lucky to get special features at all these days, with much of this type of content being a thing of the past.
In the end, we decided to give Scream [2022] the Collecting Asylum rating of 8.5/10.
Have you seen Scream? What did you think of it?
Let us know in the comments below!
- V x
Thank you to Substance Global for the Scream [2022] Blu-ray review copy!
SCREAM is available now to Download and Keep and is out now on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ SteelBook®, 4K UHD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD.
