David O'ConnellScream 4
April 12th 2011 03:44
Further evidence of Hollywood’s creative bankruptcy has arrived in the form of the thoroughly depressing Scream 4 in which a group of starving Hollywood bit players – without a success between them in years – conspire to revive a jaded franchise for public delectation. Preconceptions be damned, for what you might least be suspecting is a full-scale comedy – and not always intentionally so. By the end you’ll be pondering what it is you’ve just seen – the next instalment of Scream or is it Scary Movie?
It all begins promisingly enough with an hilarious and clever opening ten minutes before the lame ‘story’ kicks into gear: Woodsboro’s ‘Angel of Death', Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), has returned to town to promote her book ‘Out of Darkness’. But of course her arrival ushers in a fresh spate of killings. Cue a tedious trail of blood-letting with a self-referential twist. Yawn.
Self-aware Kevin Williamson’s screenplay may be, but having a roll-call of superior genre films spill from the lips of his inane, cardboard cut-out creations guarantees neither cleverness or acuity. In fact so self-consciously does he delve into the incestuous meta-referencing, the film ends up consuming itself.
The less said about the acting the better, and most pointedly, the worst offenders are the carryovers from the original trilogy. One word sums up Campbell: awful. She sleepwalks through the film and David Arquette as the dim-witted Dewey isn’t much better, looking like he can’t quite shake off the effects of a three-day bender.
I suspect Courtney Cox’s performance too is radically sub-par but then I can’t be entirely certain, so distracting is her plastic-fantastic façade – proof that she will surely be entering the Cher realm of facial reconfiguration before too long. It’s a sorry state of affairs when young actors yet to evolve from teeny bopper comedies (Emma Roberts and Hayden Panattiere) provide the only real spark of life.
The film isn’t especially well directed but then that’s no real shock; as usual, the ever workman-like Craven, who has never been good at eliciting realism from his actors, seems utterly bereft of true inspiration, content to hit his spots with numbing predictability. Just as expected, he exhibits zero visual flair whilst allowing brainless ciphers to run about screaming like headless chicken. But remember, this is a comedy after all so the few minute moments of menace drain away as quickly as they’re developed.
The whole killer in a ghostface mask is just such old hat and boring beyond belief; a ten-year absence has only accentuated its tiredness in the wake of dozens of pale imitations, rather than re-ignite a burning passion to see it hauled out of the cupboard.
With a spate of Final Destination films fresh in our memories you’d be expecting a few creative death scenes at least. But no, it’s just one stabbing to the stomach or back after another; pathetically Williamson’s idea of creative killing amounts to a guy being stabbed through the forehead or a girl crawling beneath a roller door to have it tentatively lowered down on her back.
Thankfully composer Marco Beltrami, who got his first big break with the original film, is allowed to chime in regularly, inspiring the string section to slash away with some gusto in the busier moments. But even he’s flailing against the tide, for Scream 4 has little in the way of freshness to recommend it. The wafer-thin plot is constructed of tedium-inducing dialogue that can’t even begin to keep these meaningless characters upright for 100 long and torturous minutes.
| 131 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I didn't read your review (as yet), but Arrow in the Head (reputable site) apparently gave the movie 3-and-a-half stars (arrows) ...
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
I usually trust that site too but on this occasion I can only assume they've taken one too many arrows to the head.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
cheers
fog
Comment by Someone
Evil Pleasures
Random Musings on Life, Love and Everything
Let's Get Down To Business
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Someone, it'll be a cold day in hell before Matt steps into a cinema to see this!
Looking forward to your own verdict Bryn, it seems I'm a lone voice in this crusade to crush the Scream franchise!
Comment by Anonymous
Two Jews On Film
Two Jews On Bridesmaids Movie Review
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Two Jews On Film
Two Jews On Film
Two Jews On Bridesmaids Movie Review
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile