By Britney Botez | Staff Writer
“Scream VI” features a star-studded cast, with Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter. Joining her as Tara’s sister, Samantha “Sam” Carpenter, is Melissa Barrera, “In the Heights” star and daughter of the original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis. The Carpenter sisters are accompanied by loyal friends Melinda “Mindy” Meeks-Martin (played by Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (played by Mason Gooding), who also starred in the 2022 “Scream” movie where the group was forced to rally against the Ghostface killers once again. In this new movie, the Ghostface killers, who once terrorized the town of Woodsboro as a duo, now appear as a trio.
“Scream VI”, the latest addition to the infamous “Scream” franchise, is a sequel to its 2022 predecessor “Scream,” which was the fifth installment in the series. “Scream VI” features signature plot points—the mysterious phone call received by a young girl while alone, anonymous killers in Ghostface masks and the killers’ somber, nuanced backstories revealed moments before they are brought to justice by the group of vigilante adolescents.
As the young Carpenter sisters fight alongside their friends and legacy characters, Gale Weathers (played by Courteney Cox) and Kirby Reed (played by Hayden Panettiere), to finally end the Ghostface killings, they are once again immersed in a world of constant horror. They live on the run, constantly dodging the stabbing attacks of the Ghostface killers, while coping with their own personal, family and romantic issues.
The latest installment in the “Scream” series delivers in terms of casting, with emotional and compelling performances from main characters Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, as well as Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere.
The sixth feature of the “Scream” series appeals to viewers due to its continuation of the dearly loved horror story first brought to theaters by the horror genre pioneer and director, Wes Craven. However, this reliance on the success of prior “Scream” films is also this particular film’s downfall. The predictability of the storyline, overused jump scares, the recycled college campus setting utilized in the 1997 “Scream” sequel and average technical effects makes the film come across as trite and redundant.
That said, “Scream VI” may be an engaging storyline for new fans. However, it fails to add substantial plot points to this classic horror story. In an attempt to appeal to younger fans by featuring the trending cast, the film falls short in offering those who have followed the franchise since its 1996 inception anything to scream about.
With that, “Scream VI” scores a 7/10 pinecones.