Summer Binge Watch — Scream Movies

It's summer, and MTV is about to launch a weekly TV series based on the "Scream" movies. The series begins tomorrow night, so it's not too late to binge watch the films — for research purposes, of course. The original is 19-years-old, while the fourth film debuted just four years ago. Below is my rankings of the four films in the "Scream" cannon.


1. Scream (1996)
About: I have said before that "Scream" is one of the most important movies of the 20th Century. Some guffaw that notion, and that's fine. It's not everyone's cup of tea. But what the movie did — and the way it worked to transform the horror genre and become a piece of popular culture — can't be overlooked. It was a fascinating premise, and a movie that served as much as a commentary on culture and horror movies as telling a story itself. The performances are good, the formula works, and there's an interesting blend of comedy and horror. "Scream" might not be thought of as a great film by most, but it's an incredibly effective film. And the fact that, 19 years later, a TV series is being made based on the film is evidence of its long-lasting cultural footprint. That can't be denied.
Rating: R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

2. Scream 2 (1997)
About: This sequel, which followed a year later, ups the body count, ups the stakes, and serves as a worthy sequel. It's not as original and dynamic as the original, but that is an impossibility. The film maintains the humor/horror balance you're looking for, gets the gang back together, and delivers a reasonable amount of surprises.
Rating: R for language and strong bloody violence.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

3. Scream 4 (2011)
About: This film might provide a bit of a blue print for the new TV series. It felt like a re-boot of the original, which was fitting given that it came out 15 years after the first and 11 years after the third film in the franchise. The original characters were back — which won't be the case in the TV show — but "Scream 4" was more about the next generation, evolving technology, and telling a new story. Sure, Sydney (Neve Campbell) was still the hero, but you could see how this concept could possibly continue without the original stars and characters. Not to mention this was an entertaining movie that marked a bounce back for the franchise.
Rating:  R for strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

4. Scream 3 (2000)
About: Ugh, every franchise peters out somewhere. This is not a good film. The story is too complex, and even though this was supposedly always part of the plan — to make a trilogy — it feels like a film that was more of a money grab. The characters, story, and formula are starting to feel stale here. For hardcore fans of the franchise, it adds a little. But as a film trying to stand on its own, it's just not very good. It's also far too meta, focusing on the third movie in a franchise being made based on real life events. It's too clever for its own good.
Rating: R for strong horror violence and language.
Verdict: One star out of four.