Scream 3 A Film Review By Geoff Berkshire
Cast: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henrickson, Matt Keesler, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Parker Posey, Deon Richmond, Kelly Rutherford, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Warburton
Director: Wes Craven
(This review makes a conscious attempt to avoid spoiling any surprises contained within the film.)
One of the best jokes of Scream 2 was that the "movie" version of the "real" events of the previous film was a typical, exploitational slasher flick. It served as a subtle reminder of the level this genre usually plays out at: a stupid naked girl takes a shower and gets cut up. The first two installments in the Scream trilogy distinguished themselves as funny, smart and tense thrillers. Now the final (they swear) Scream has opened in theaters and while it doesn't match the quality of the first two it still works as a slickly crafted piece of entertainment, and plays out at a level far above the vast majority of its genre predecessors.
The series has always done a nice job of developing its key characters as more than one dimensional victims, survivors or potential killers. The returning characters have varied, believable, reactions to the infamous events of the first two films.
Heroine Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is now a paranoid prisoner in her isolated home, working over the phone as a women's crisis councilor. Bitchy tabloid reporter Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox Arquette) has risen to anchor level on an entertainment news show (just missing out on a job with 60 Minutes II). Sweet natured Dewey Riley (David Arquette) has relocated and found a new girlfriend, both logical representations of his true feelings. Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), who at one point was wrongly imprisoned for the murder of Sidney's mother, now has his own talk show: 100% Cotton.
Production has begun on "Stab 3," the latest in those successful exploitation films mentioned earlier. When members of the cast start turning up dead it becomes obvious there's another killer on the loose.
Around for the ride to arouse suspicions and increase the body count are Jennifer Jolie (Parker Posey) who is playing Gale in the film and has her bitchy persona nailed, flaky ingenue Angelina Tyler (Emily Mortimer) who won a nation wide talent search for the new Sidney, rising heartthrob Tom Prinze (Matt Keesler) who improbably landed the role of Dewey, aging starlet Sarah Darling (Jenny McCarthy) dissatisfied with her lack of screen time and abundance of on screen nudity, and wisecracking Tyson (Deon Richmond) searching for a way to stand out from the singer/actors who he competes for roles with.
There's also the young hot shot music video director Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) making his feature helming debut, an aging, hack, producer John Milton (Lance Henrickson), and local detective Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey) assigned to the case.
Among the large ensemble there are two notable standouts. Posey's caustic line delivery and offbeat screen personality make her character one of the best of the series. This is some of Posey's best work yet, and certainly her best in a mainstream film. Her chemistry with Cox is priceless, as she constantly finds new ways to show up her "real life" counterpart. As the series' heroine Campbell has continued her blossoming as a genuine talent and she carries this film with the greatest of ease.
McCarthy, Foley and Schreiber all have nice moments while Kelly Rutherford and Patrick Warburton bring everything required for their brief roles. There are several surprise cameos, some work (a veteran producer/director and a teenaged actress are both very well cast) and some don't. Arquette and off-screen wife Cox have their best moments opposite Posey. They play their characters well but don't expose any previously unseen layers.
This is likely due in part to the notably underwhelming script from Ehren Kruger. The first two films helped make a star of screenwriter Kevin Williamson (nearly unheard of for a writer) but he returns for this film only with producer and story credit. His absence is often felt, such as in an early dialogue scene between four "Stab 3" cast members. A lot of the material feels more like one of the Scream rip-offs than the real deal.
Still, the film meets the basic requirement of any good thriller: a memorably tense sequence or two. Scream 3's stand out is a freaky visit Sidney makes to an on set replica of the house that originally set the stage for much of Scream's bloodshed. As with any other good installment of a series, the film has a lot of fun in referencing what has come before it. There's also an increased degree of psychological torture, as the killer plays mind games with Sidney involving her dead mother.
Just as Scream 2 was filled with self reflexive material about sequels, Scream 3 involves discussion of film trilogies. Unfortunately, promises made here only serve to make the climax even less interesting. Instead of wrapping things up in a clever, or at least believable, way the revelations of final scenes are simply random. However the very last scene ends the series on an appropriate tone (if still failing to shut the door on any further installments).
The talents of the cast and crew work to keep the film at a level entertaining enough for series fans and anyone who can handle a film where most of the cast will end up brutally murdered. Director Craven can turn out this stuff in his sleep now. The technical credits are polished with the production design especially standing out. Major exception is Marco Beltrami's often irritating and intrusive score.
*** (out of ****)
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