Scream 2 (1997)

Rating: 7/10 (13 March 2020)

Directed by Wes Craven. Starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jerry O'Connell, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber, Elise Neal, Timothy Olyphant, Laurie Metcalf, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Duane Martin, Omar Epps, Jada Pinkett, (voice) Roger L. Jackson. (R)
Survivor of her hometown slayings Sidney Prescott (Campbell), now a college student, once again finds herself the target of a murderous lunatic: a copycat killer wearing the same "Ghostface" costume as before. Aside from a few tweaks, no one messed with the formula; sequel delivers pretty much exactly what one might expect, though it lacks the freshness of the original and the scares are milder. Fortunately, the satirical elements are just as keen, and thanks in part to the existence of a movie-within-the-movie ("Stab") based on the initial killings, there's more opportunity for sneaky meta-commentary, particularly from video store geek Kennedy. Returning characters are given even greater definition here, but there are precious few standouts among the "fresh meat" (O'Connell's dutiful boyfriend is particularly bland). Includes a handful of cameos, including Luke Wilson, Heather Graham and Tori Spelling.
67/100