Reviews are now out for the sixth entry in the long-running “Scream” franchise, the latest from Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.
Serving as a direct sequel to last year’s revival and fifth entry, the four survivors – Sam (Melissa Barrera), Tara (Jenna Ortega), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding) – leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City. However, the big city may end up being less safe when a new killer emerges – a killer who really could be anyone.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film is looking to score the best critical reactions to the franchise since the second one back in 1997. At present its tracking at 79% (7.0/10) which puts it behind “Scream” (80%), and “Scream 2” (82%) but ahead of “Scream 3” (41%), “Scream 4” (60%), and last year’s “Scream” (76%).
Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“It’s a homicidal shell game that‘s clever in all the right ways, staged and shot more forcefully than the previous film, eager to take advantage of its more sprawling but enclosed cosmopolitan setting.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Bloody hell. Number 6 in the post-modern horror Scream series is gory… as well as hot-under-the-arms tense and properly funny.” – Charlotte O’Sullivan, London Evening Standard
“Scream VI doesn’t reinvent the blade – though for a hot minute it half-convinces itself that it has done just that – but it does deliver the goods, quickly and efficiently and oh-so-sharply.” – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail
“No franchise like Scream has to constantly reinvent itself with meta narratives while also keeping direct connections to its original installments. Scream VI is a mean, nasty, rollicking good time at the movies, just as Wes Craven always intended.” – Charlie Ridgley, ComicBook.com
“Up until the killer’s reveal in its third act, Scream VI is one of the franchise’s best sequels and the series’ most inventive and character-driven entry.” – Phil Perrello, AV Club
“The inventive post-modern thrill of the original film (and its solid first sequel) is now itself a tired trope; this is a franchise propped up on a foundation of nostalgia, and the cracks are starting to show.” – Nikki Baughan, Screen International
“Scream VI ultimately squanders the goodwill of last year’s occasionally satisfying reboot, slackening into a dutiful merry-go-round of returning characters.” – Joshua Rothkopf, Entertainment Weekly
“‘Scream VI’ is less a sequel and more a stutter-step, a half-movie with some very satisfying stabbings but no real progress or even movement. It’s like treading water in gore.” – Mark Kennedy, Associated Press
Courteney Cox reprises her series-long role of Gail Weathers, whilst Hayden Panettiere is back as Kirby from the fourth film. Dermot Mulroney, Samara Weaving, Tony Revolori, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Josh Segarra and Henry Czerny also star.
“Scream VI” is due in cinemas from Friday.
