‘Scream VI’ is charming, disarming and bloody self-aware

“Scream VI” continues to rebuild the new “Scream” universe while taking plenty of scares from the old movies. It stays fresh by using meta commentary on the state of movies and intellectual property (IP), which helps the characters navigate a new set of ghost-faced killers. While it may be overdone to some viewers, the idea that the main cast almost knows they’re in a horror flick pushes the envelope. “Scream” is single-handedly carrying the horror genre and sets itself up to continue the franchise.

For a classic slasher, these movies amazingly find new ways to make the same stories feel re-invented. From the first scene, with a fantastic guest appearance by Samara Weaving, the archetypal scream setup is in place. Not much has changed from the first movie. Jenna Ortega highlights an impressive cast of talented young actors, and some original cast members make appearances to round out the bunch. While Ortega’s newfound international stardom from her role as Wednesday Addams might be the main appeal to most, Melissa Barrera and Mason Gooding are also quite magnetic. The chemistry from the previous film is still very present.

The pacing’s even, but the runtime might bog down the movie for some viewers. It’s about 30 minutes longer than it should be, mainly because it really tries to establish the conflict between the Carpenter sisters, Tara and Samantha (Ortega and Barrera), in the aftermath of the last installment. The movie lulls you to sleep and then snaps back into the action. You quickly learn that nobody is safe from a surprise stabbing. For people who care about the development of this main cast, who even call themselves the “Core Four” in the movie in one of the more meta scenes, the runtime won’t be bothersome. But, horror movies in general should try to keep it under 100 minutes.

The self-awareness in this movie’s an aspect that all Scream movies have, but it’s especially amplified here. There are many scenes where characters make reference to the unofficial rules of scary movies, including one absolutely off-the-wall scene where one character explains the franchise IP and how understanding it could help them survive and find the killer. It’s relevant for the time and a refreshing twist on the franchise’s usual commentary. There’s also a set of “Scream”-like movies within the “Scream” movies called the “Stab” franchise, which informs the group and also the killer.

A horror movie is only as good as its killer, however, and the villains in this installment are especially entertaining. There are plenty of twists to keep the viewer off the scent that accompany a fantastic set of reveals. Like “Scream” movies that have come before, there are multiple different killers over the course of the movie. They’ve been inspired by the “Stab” franchise and Ghostface killers before them, and they want to carry on the legacy. A huge theme is how the past informs both the good and bad guys.

This movie also has some very smart commentary on the state of the internet. One aspect that’s very well done is the fake news feed that creates suspicion about Samantha Carpenter. She’s villainized by Reddit users when false information about her involvement in the previous murders is leaked online and it has a real impact on the story. There’s also a lot of social media presence, which makes the main four characters a weird type of celebrity group.

The dialogue in this movie is a little uneven. While it’s a very accurate depiction of how college students talk with each other, some of the one-liners fall a little flat. Additionally, some of the dramatic scenes are pretty hammed-up, and the conversation is too showy. It feels a little more like a soap opera at times.

Typically, the quality of a franchise deteriorates by the fifth or sixth installment. It rarely stays at the level of creativity and story-building “Scream VI” has, and its creative crew has done a fantastic job reviving this beloved horror series. “Scream VI” is definitely worth a theater visit.