A Sophisticated Horror Comedy.

Rating: 10/10 (17 September 2002)

For the average cinema-goer this is just your basic run-of-the-mill teens stalked by nutter in a mask fare. But for a seasoned horror veteran who understands about the basic social significance of the slasher film, having seen every title under the sun this a masterpiece. It is a defining moment of contemporary horror, marking the resurgence of the slasher flick with a self-referential postmodern spin on proceedings. Wes Craven previously explored this with his return to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise he created with Wes Craven's New Nightmare in 1994 but essentially it is Kevin Williamson's script that delivers the good. Craven's direction is slick as he keeps the action moving fast but with dragged out, tension-filled, brilliant composed scenes. But as a big horror fan I see this film essentially as a comedy, poking fun at the hallmarks of the slasher phenomenon whilst at the same time paying homage to it. It is like a reference book of contemporary horror and it is great and probably knows it is!
10/10