Scream VI - A Movie Review

Ghostface is back. This time, he’s not messing around.

Scream VI snuck into theaters in 2023. The remaining survivors of the Woodsborough Ghostface killings move to New York City. Opening a new chapter to move past all the traumas, a new Ghostface lurks in the city.

The audience was alive and rampant in my screening of Scream VI. Scream VI is intense. Loaded with new twists and a jam-packed worthy climax, Scream VI is an improved follow-up to the last sequel. Except it held back from offering new themes.

Returning from the last film, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega were terrific. The girls had better direction from the first film, preferably Barrera. Continuing their sibling feud, Barrera and Ortega established Sam and Tara’s sibling dynamic, evolving into a solid powerhouse duo in the climax.

Scream VI is the first film without Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell). Campbell made the right decision not to return. Sydney has had her story (and traumas). Scream VI is the right time to implement new characters to take over the franchise.

Speaking of which, Scream VI sports a strong cast of actors who have excellent chemistry. Jasmin Savoy Brown is back. She was the fan favorite in my theater. More credits include Mason Gooding, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Josh Segara, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, and the return of Hayden Panettiere, last seen in Scream 4.

I have mixed opinions about Gale’s (Courtney Cox) role in this film. Like Sydney, Gale has had her time in the limelight. Her role is the usual setup from past films where she weasels in others' business and (yet again) writes a new book. Gale does put up one heck of a fight with Ghostface!

Scream VI is the most intense film of the Scream franchise in a long time! Now resorting to a gun over a trademark knife, Ghostface is brutal. The kills are violent and bloody. The kills were so fierce that my heart was pounding.

There are several notable scenes in the film. For me, it’s a tie between the fight in the liquor store and climbing across an unstable ladder to a window.

Finally, we have a new setting. Now taking place in New York City, this location sported a darker atmosphere. With the inclusion of the big city, filmmakers used the city’s areas effectively. Ghostface could be anywhere; in apartments, on jam-packed streets, or on a subway.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet upped the terror for Scream VI. The sequel is a better film than the last. The plot has several twists and turns. It’s well-crafted and utilizes nostalgia when necessary.

The opening is wild! The beginning of Scream VI incorporated a twist that we’ve never seen in Scream films. With this original twist, the directors shied away and resorted to the usual Scream formula. The climax of Scream VI is a terrifying conclusion, but it’s not strong compared to the film’s opening.

Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet were afraid to gain new territories. That’s evident in how lenient they were with their kills. The reveal of the killers is a recycled idea from other Scream films.

A lot of teenagers were in my theater. Their annoying behavior and comments aside, they made the climax well worth it. The energy was crazy. I have never been in a full-house theater for a Scream film, but I had so much fun!

The theater is the best place to experience Scream VI. I loved this movie way more than I was anticipating! You don’t want to miss this film. It’s a blast of scares and twists.