Let's have a joke on horror's behalf.

Rating: 7/10 (2 May 2006)

Sidney Prescott is a high school girl still coming to terms of her mother's murder over a year ago. But things get worst in Woodsboro when a couple of high school students are knocked off and even more so for Sid when a masked killer who loves their scary movies sets their sights on her with some threatening phone calls. Sidney survives the first attempt at her life with the police deciding to keep an eye on her and looking at the many possible suspects. Which range from her out-of-town father to her sex depraved boyfriend. Also the media circus has arrived, led Gail Weathers, which she and Sid don't have too much of a good relationship.
The horror boom of the mid 90s is thanks largely to Craven's memorably, refreshing, but post-modern slasher flick "Scream". I notice this film really divides the horror fans. People either loathe it or like it, well I fit in the latter half. I'm a fan of the flick since it added something new to the dying sub-genre. Although, most of it imitators were painful, but "Scream" is miles ahead of those inferior rehashes. What sets it out from most of the artificial slashers is that it's exciting and it has brains. Kevin Williamson's cerebral script parodies the whole slasher set-up remarkably well in a self-aware attitude by exploring the rules that flood these type of films. The way he works in the inventive twists around the usual horror devices only enhances the film's originality and engrossing interplay. While, the gallant script might be cluttered with plenty of in-jokes and horror references. The character's also come to the party with rich details and strong persona's that seem real, which makes you really wanna see them get through. Humour wise it hits it off, but that's not discarding the highly suspenseful thrills. Like that of the well-staged opening that actually frightens and horrifies. Craven not only delivers some hacked up teens, but just like in he did in his "New Nightmare (1994)" film he plays around with plenty of horror techniques and themes in such a convincing fashion that it's unpredictably intense. Clues and hints are displayed with flair and the alarming amount of red herrings make the mystery even more enjoyable. The characters just seem more rational in their actions since they themselves know the vital rules of slasher flicks, which gives the film more of an urgency and this makes it harder to figure just who'll get out and who will not.
The actors on board all put in solid performances with some being more exceptional than others, but at least there was a dynamic chemistry between them all. Neve Campbell nails down her role as the emotional wreak Sidney Prescott. Courtney Cox goes against the grain as the venomous TV reporter Gail Weathers. David Arquette manages to raise some chuckles as the dopey Deputy Dewey. But more so the buoyant Jamie Kennedy gets the laughs with the most interesting character - the horror movie geek Randy Meeks. Mathew Lillard generates a lot fun, Skeet Ulrich is perfect as the shady boyfriend and Rose McGowan gives the film the bite with her cunning remarks. There's also some small amusing roles from Drew Barrymore and Henry Winkler. If you looking for some blood you shouldn't be disappointed as there's a fine build up and a good quota of it. Working with that element is the fitting sound effects which are crisply effective, like that of the knife swishing through the air. An atmospherically, suspenseful score by Marco Beltrami pierces the flick and the mellow soundtrack is rather well assembled in depicting the mood. Especially that of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' haunting tune "Red Right Hand". Another factor to set itself out was that of Mark Irwin's well displayed camera-work that lifted off the screen with many prominent shots. Craven keeps it fast moving and Williamson's script makes sure that it delivers a successful outing that works to it's strengths with flying colours.
"Scream" is a nice gruesome mix of irony and violence that started up the craze for mainstream horror again and turned horror conventions upside down.