SCREAM
A film review by Christopher Null
Copyright 1996 Christopher Null
My review notes for SCREAM consist of three whole words:
Totally.
F***ing.
Scary.
What has been billed as the first "really scary" movie in a long time surprisingly lives up to its promise (due, in part, to the fact that there hasn't been a really scary movie since THE EXORCIST III in 1990), with plenty of screaming on the screen and in the audience. Wes Craven's SCREAM is a true exercise in the horror film -- an in-depth study of the genre that terrifies at the same time as it good-naturedly pokes a little fun at itself.
Anyway, Miramax is practically *begging* critics not to reveal the plot, so I'll just give you the starting point: an all-alone Drew Barrymore answers a phone call from a deranged killer, and it goes downhill from there. Be aware that the "star" of the show is not Barrymore, but is actually Neve Campbell (THE CRAFT). And the *real* stars are a couple of her character's friends, played by a now-blonde Rose McGowan (THE DOOM GENERATION) and Matthew Lillard (HACKERS), who totally steal the show.
Of course, these are only two of the dozens of characters who serve as Fresh Meat for our killer, the most notable of which is probably Courtney Cox as a trashy tabloid TV reporter covering the story.
Thank God Craven has imbued SCREAM with witty dialogue, fine plot development, and an ending that actually seems remotely plausible. While he does let up with the terror in the final act (I won't be having any nightmares tonight), I left pleasantly surprised and a bit shaken up from so much jumping in my seat. I'm sure you'll agree. It's a... well... a scream.
RATING: ***1/2
|------------------------------|
\ ***** Perfection \
\ **** Good, memorable film \
\ *** Average, hits and misses \
\ ** Sub-par on many levels \
\ * Unquestionably awful \
|------------------------------|
-Christopher Null / null@filmcritic.com / Writer-Producer -Visit the Movie Emporium at http://www.filmcritic.com -and Null Set Productions at http://www.filmcritic.com/nullset.htm
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