Slasher films are that sub-genre of horror that give the rest of the horror films a bad name. Their purpose is put a bunch of pretty people in a situation where they have a very good chance of being stabbed, shot, disemboweled, decapitated, burned, electrocuted or disposed of. After all those films with Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers certain patterns begin to emerge. You know the big ones. Virgins never die and strange noises ought not to be investigated but probably will be so you can see another gruesome kill. There is no subtlety in a slasher movie and, since they don't scare someone by raising tension and building suspense, they increase the body count. There are always exceptions to the rule that says these films are dreck. Scream could possibly be the first one to break that rule effectively.
Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is having a rough time lately: After the brutal rape and murder of her mother a year ago, one of her classmates (Drew Barrymore) has been killed by a lunatic who harassed her with terrifying phone calls and quizzing her on the details of such films as Friday the 13th and Halloween. Soon Sydney starts receiving similar phone calls and is attacked by what we presume to be the same cloaked maniac. With her father missing, she has hardly anyone on her side except her best friend Tatum (Rose McGowan) and Tatum's brother Dewey (David Arquette), a half-bright cop. The murderer could be any number of people: Sydney's father; her cute but overly intense boyfriend Billy (Skeet Ulrich); Tatum's boyfriend Stuart (Matthew Lillard); Randy the movie geek (Jamie Kennedy) or the "tabloid twit" Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox).
Generally when people think of modern horror they are usually aware of two names even if they have never delved into it before. Now that I think about it can you imagine a film directed by Wes Craven and based on a book by Stephen King? I digress but those were the names I planned to mention before I got off-track. Craven, the director, knows how to structure a film to get your audience reacting whatever that reaction may be. He also knows enough about the horror genre to make fun of it intelligently. What he manages to do with Kevin Williamson's script is put more of the focus on the scenes in between the murders. After the horrific opening scene we go to Sydney's bedroom and a scene that for all intents and purposes is sweet and almost romantic. These scenes serve to give the audience a sense of who the characters are as people instead of happy, brainless creatures who spout one-liners until they die.
One of the many things that work so well about the film is its willingness to poke fun at itself and the genre. One does not realize while you watch it that the film is almost self-aware. The characters in it even speak about their lives as if they were in a movie. Its jabs at the horror genre are whimsical and clever. So much so that it crosses into the realm of satire without losing its horror film feel.
★★★1/2
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