Scream 7: Meta-Slasher Fails to Reinvent the Mask

The latest installment in the 'Scream' franchise, 'Scream 7,' centers on Sidney Prescott and her daughter Tatum as they evade the menacing Ghostface. The film has been noted for a pacing issue where it seems to lead and lag behind the audience simultaneously. This installment faced significant off-screen turmoil, including the departures of key cast members and directors, before Kevin Williamson, the original creator, returned to direct.

Williamson, who conceived the meta-slasher concept, opted for a more straightforward, analog style for 'Scream 7.' This approach departs from the franchise's earlier, more complex mythology and trivia-laden narrative. While featuring standard scares and gore, the film is described as lacking genuine suspense and inventive horror, potentially questioning the series' ability to offer fresh perspectives.

The movie revisits familiar elements, with characters like Gale Weathers and a potentially resurrected Stu Macher appearing. Despite these callbacks, the film's narrative is deemed basic, failing to recapture the meta-commentary that defined the original. The question of Ghostface's identity, a long-standing trope, feels increasingly arbitrary and forgettable in this iteration.