Witty, unique, hip, Craven's "Scream" is loud

Rating: 7/10 (9 April 2011)

*** out of (****)
Oh "Scream". What's there more to say? This was the granddaddy slasher of the 90's, and reasonably so. With witty dialogue, a slick atmosphere, and a nice line drawn between horror and self-parody, "Scream" resonates.
The kills? This is the goriest of the trilogy. We get dismemberment, disembowelment, and tons of red fluids. Don't be fooled though. This film isn't competing for the most blood used in a film. Craven builds up suspense pretty nicely with a dark, sinister tone, unnerving music, and a few glimpses of the killer himself here and there. Strip away the profanity and gore, and "Scream" would still be a strong production.
Not to mention the script is where it's at. The dialogue is cutting edge material, sprinkling in some welcome humor and sharp one liners. The performances are solid. Nobody here is trying to win the Academy Awards, yet everyone here is doing their job. And for once we don't have "Friday the 13th part 38". This is a unique film that stands on its own two feet. What I thought was pretty neat was how it references slashers that came out nearly a decade before. That's just an added bonus for horror fans.
All in all, "Scream" isn't a film that I loved, but it resonates with me, and I found myself to still enjoy it. The dialogue, the characters, the story. It's all there. Witty, unique, hip, Craven's "Scream" is loud.