This isn't horror, but it certainly is horrible.

Rating: 3/10 (6 February 1999)

Lame. That's how I sum this up. Facile, dumbed-down to the nth degree. First of all, this isn't a horror movie and neither are the 'classic' 'horror' movies it thinks it's taking the p*** out of. They're teenagers' date movies and with one or two exceptions they aren't scary at all. None of this film's supposedly original spin seemed at all new to me. Why? Because these films have been taking the p*** out of themselves (and their audiences) for decades. 'Scream' is like a slasher-movie version of Trivial Pursuit captured on film. This is the sort of movie applauded by people who think that horror films are beneath them, who couldn't possibly enjoy something that wasn't sufficiently 'postmodern.' They watch films like 'Scream' because critics who should know better called it 'clever,' 'intelligent,' 'witty.' These critics don't get out enough do they? Personally I'd rather watch the decidedly un-postmodern 'Anaconda' fifty times than sit through a trailer for this thing again. And for those of you who think that Wes Craven is suddenly 'postmodern' and sophisticated enough for you to claim to like his movies, remember this is the man who made 'Shocker.' Shocking, more like.