‘Scream VI’ review: Dirs. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett (2023)

After impressing with last year’s Scream, the Radio Silence team – Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett – are back with their follow-up, Scream VI. Set during Halloween, a year on from the events of Scream, the latest chapter joins the ‘core four’ survivors in New York. Three of the four are now at college, with Sam (Melissa Barrera) tagging along to keep an eye on her younger sister, Tara (Jenna Ortega). Each of them is dealing with the aftermath of their shared trauma in different ways, but before they can fully resolve their feelings, they find themselves the targets of Ghostface once more.

During the film’s creation it was heavily publicised that franchise head Neve Campbell would not be back as the forever tormented Sidney Prescott. This left die-hard fans upset and wondering whether a sequel without their favourite final girl would be viable. The answer to that question is difficult to answer, though the Radio Silence duo have created a story that neatly side-steps her. This time around the Carpenter sisters, Sam and Tara, are the focus of Ghostface. Having become household names after surviving the events of the previous massacre they have attracted their own Ghostface, giving Sidney a much needed hiatus. The handling of the explanation of her absence however, is a little clunky with Gale delivering a throwaway line of exposition that doesn’t entirely ring true with the character that audiences have grown to love. 

Whilst portions of Scream VI might veer from the anticipated, it retains the DNA and formula of a Scream film.

Whilst Sidney isn’t back, two other legacy characters, Gale (Courtney Cox) and Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) do return. The pair function as side characters, something that won’t please some, but Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are forging their own story. They pay fan service to Gale and Kirby, with both getting some great moments; but Scream VI is not their saga. Of the new additions – and there are a lot of them – none quite hold attention, with the exception perhaps being Samara Weaving’s Laura. Weaving was of course the star of previous Radio Silence project Ready or Not, the film that helped them snag Scream. The new characters introduced are, on the whole, there to be either Ghostface fodder or potential suspects.  

The trailer and marketing for Scream VI has been overloaded with the message that ‘you’ve never seen a Ghostface like this before’. It’s a bold statement when you consider that there have been nine that have come before. The reality is that there is some truth to the buzz. Save for a couple of deaths in the franchise’s history, most of the victims have been separated from the group and alone. Typically, the impact of the discovery of their deaths is the torment. This time around Ghostface is bolder, happily attacking people on the side of busy streets, in convenience stores, on public transport etc. The shift changes things up, a chase through an apartment being the standout sequence. With Ghostface now bullish enough to enjoy a crowd, this scene becomes stiflingly tense as it progresses, the viewer unsure just how far it will go. 

As exciting as the shift is, by the final act, it’s back into Scream movie cruise control. The success of a Scream film has never been linked to the reveal of who is hiding under the mask, and yet so much time is always dedicated to the revelation scenes. It’s a small niggle, but one that may worsen upon repeat viewing. With their 2022 Scream, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett ‘re-quelled’ the franchise and that tradition continues; thus Scream 2 becomes the basis for inspiration. As with the new Ghostface outlook, the reinterpretation of Craven’s sequel is a welcome touch. Add to that the Halloween back-drop which throws horror movie Easter Eggs left, right and centre, and Scream VI has all the right ingredients for a perfect Friday night at the movies. 

Scream VI is out in cinemas across the UK today.