Scream VI - Movie Review

In Scream VI, Woodsboros Ghostface survivors travel to the Big Apple, where a bustling New York City could surprise no one less than a bombings, shootouts and mass killings. In this setting of urban paranoia that heightens the fear, Ghostface stalks the streets, drives subways to blood encrusted death traps, and turns skyscrapers into stage to spread out the new gruesome acts.

The film tackles how horror rears its head in social circles and struggles with family life and family trauma. As the tone of the film seamlessly carries through classic slasher suspense with a twist, it remains a worthy legacy to its predecessors but also manages to feel fresh and even more intense all at once.

Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega give their roles depth as we see them come to terms with being twisted sisters and the difficulty of not being in Ghostface’s shadow. Once again, Courteney Cox sparkles as Gale Weathers in the mix of a prevailing grief, savage vengeance and the pursuit of a story. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett bring fresh energy to the franchise dirctly, while the ensemble cast balances horror and a heart in their scare-inducing performances. Their direction is suitably sharp, and the film pulses with dread, taut storytelling and sudden turns, while the score amplifies the urban dread in the series with classical horror motifs twisted with the modern and shots breathing urban dread life in New York’s grit.

The film’s cinematography mirrors New York’s gritty allure, yet shots are with shadows and sharp angles. Ghostface’s reign is more than a backdrop: the city itself is an accomplice, as New York itself becomes a party to Ghostface’s now terrifying reign.

Production design expertly mixes the cityscape with genre trademarks, and uses the cityscape uniquely to create a claustrophobic environment while opening up to large, ominous shots.|Special effects accomplish gruesome thrills. Effects are visceral, no holds barred, blood and guts Galactica explosive horror, with effects that keep it believable without diluting the excess and keep the horror tension on track at an underrated furious pace.

Editing is crisp and solid, and one never feels lost or vagabond in any of the week’s issues. Not to mention, seamless transitions and suspense building cuts make the audience edge on their seats throughout.

The pacing is perfectly controlled, slow to tense and then upping the stakes to have the audience gasping for air. The series’ tradition is respected such that it carves its own fast-paced path, but dialog rocks and is filled with self aware humor that Scream fans adore. The film balances its sardonic tone and chilling exchanges between characters and the fearsome Ghostface as well as it does while inviting the occasional too heavy nostalgia. The downside for some fans will be that there’s an aspect where some of the character development could be overlooked to the horror spectacle. Sitting in front of the screen, its suspense and modern day terror perfectly arranged to give its audience a tension filled cinematic experience that is as thrilling as it is tiring from the get go. That testament why the Ghostface Legacy stands up to every twist and turn.