SCREAM 3 *** (out of four stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, Parker Posey, Scott Foley and Jenny McCarthy Director-Wes Craven Canadian Rating-14A Released by Miramax Films - 02/00
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
All legacies have to end at some point. In the case of `Scream', the most popular horror movie franchise of all time, I was praying the final chapter would permit the series to wrap up on a positive note and that dignity would be maintained. Horror sequels are hazardous waters to be treading into, and although director Wes Craven was able to pull it off marvelously with the cheeky follow-up `Scream 2', I was fearing that `Scream 3' would adhere to the tiredness of formula and that the series would expire with a sour departure. But, in this particularly rare instance, all's well that ends well.
The first positive sign in `Scream 3' is that all the primary characters who survived the original films have returned. The familiar faces of bloodbaths' past certainly help to establish the cushion-padded comfort zone that makes this entry so enjoyable. Let's begin with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), the innocent victim-girl who has been through dilapidated hell ever since her boyfriend celebrated the one-year anniversary of her mother's death by going on a knifing rampage. Sid has left the town of Woodsboro (the original site of the killings) and changed her name to live incognito. Meanwhile, over in Hollywood, production on `Stab 3 - Return to Woodsboro' has just commenced. Our beloved Dewey Riley (David Arquette) has retired from police work and accepted a job as technical consultant on the film, while level-headed news-hound Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox Arquette) hosts a second-rate `Entertainment Tonight' rip-off called `Total Entertainment' and paws around the set of the latest `Stab' installment, searching for a decent scoop without authorization. Liev Schreiber also reprises his role as the wrongly convicted Cotton Weary, having finally found stardom on his own television program `100% Cotton'.
Enter Ghostface, the masked murderer with a motive. The actors in `Stab 3' begin getting systematically slaughtered in the same order their characters die in the movie. Unfortunately, to avoid leaks onto the Internet, three different endings were devised for the film.... meaning the next victim could depend on which version of the script the killer read. Everyone is in possible jeopardy - from hot young screen sensation Jennifer Jolie (Parker Posey), who plays the film version of Gale Weathers, to Sarah Darling (Jenny McCarthy), who portrays a fictionalized character named Candy and is probably intended to increase the audience of adolescent males for `Stab 3'. Of course, everyone is a suspect. Additional characters include the snoopy Detective Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey), the millionaire Roger Corman-esque producer John Milton (Lance Henriksen) and the up-and-coming music video director Roman Bridger (Scott Foley), who takes the reins of the latest `Stab' project.
Speaking of taking the reins, screenwriter Ehren Kruger (`Arlington Road') has inherited the daunting task of replacing the uncanny wit of former scribe Kevin Williamson in `Scream 3'. This is no easy chore, but to his credit, Kruger's script contains an ample amount of crisp, effectively staged frights and character development that remains loyal to his predecessor. Some of the plot movements are clever and surprisingly acute. In the department of murder sequences, Kruger delivers a few real humdingers (one involving a fax machine, another with a rack of Ghostface costumes and a set of rubber props). But most of it's just the same old drill: the killer chases down an anorexic victim, through dark corridors or steep stairwells, and plunges a knife into their back repeatedly with swift precision. After the tense, well-executed (but somewhat unexceptional) opening murder sequence, it
becomes gratingly obvious that `Scream 3' will settle for a simple interpretation of Williamson's work. Fortunately, Kruger is a better interpreter than most. And whenever the screenplay hits a rough patch, Wes Craven's nimble direction is there to rescue it. I was frightened by the film, and all of the creepy atmosphere and unexpected jolts are courtesy of Mr. Craven's veteran expertise in the field of horror movies.
`Scream 3' is more generic and conventional than the first two films, but it has enough tricks up its sleeve to compensate. Cameos abound, including an appearance by ill-fated `Scream'-er Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), who appears briefly on a videocassette to explain the Rules of a Trilogy for our survivors. The scene is so subtly effective and clever that it makes you wish Randy would return from beyond the grave for an elongated period of quick-witted comic relief. Luckily, the living cast members perform just fine. Campbell has never been more convincing as the sullen `why me, Mr. Ghostface?' victim Sidney. The newlywed Arquettes don't create the spark they captured in `Scream' and `Scream 2' (no, they have good chemistry - the script doesn't give them much romantic interaction), but both continue to build their memorable characters. David, in particular, is phenomenal as the lovable doofus Dewey. It's the role of his career, and the actor capitalizes on all of his chances to elevate the character to new heights. Indie queen Parker Posey (who made a mainstream jump into `You've Got Mail' in 1998) is wonderfully peppery in her spot-on impression of Gale Weathers, and Patrick Warbuton (from `Seinfeld') has his moments as her protective lug of a bodyguard. A few one-liners echo Williamson's self-aware touch, including a particularly dim-witted character refusing to take a shower because she's seen `Vertigo'.
The original `Scream' was not a landmark achievement among horror films, but due largely to it's cleverly caustic screenplay about teens who know the clichés of the genre, it developed into an unexpected phenomenon. `Scream 2' was accepted on a more positive note by critics, although audiences seemed relatively mixed. The third (and reportedly final) chapter will not disappoint fans of the series. `Scream 3' delivers the nail-biting goods in such a manner that teeny bopper thrill-seekers will have trouble arguing. The overwhelming sense of closure during the climax is a token of gratitude toward all us fans who have been anticipating this film. Kruger finishes the cycle effectively, tying certain events back to the original in a fashion that, while not without plot holes, is more than satisfying. Sure, `Scream 3' occasionally becomes the movie the first two films were lampooning, but it's executed with style and compassion.
The audience at my screening seemed to be enjoying the film. They laughed and they screamed, even if the formula was getting a bit stale. Sure, the final half-hour, set inside a mansion with trapdoors and secret passageways, is a bit frenetic. A large portion of the supporting cast is obviously expendable. And yes, the whodunit is somewhat underwhelming..... I was expecting a more startling surprise. It may be the least of the trilogy, but I still had a hell of a time at `Scream 3'. I'll now rest easier knowing that the `Scream' series has been given a proper burial.
(C) 2000, Jamey Hughton
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