SCREAM 2
RATING: 7 / 10 --> Good movie
Review Date:
June 23, 1998
Director:
Wes Craven
Writer:
Kevin Williamson
Producers:
Kathy Conrad and Marianne Maddalena
Actors:
Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott
Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers
David Arquette as Dewey Riley
Genre:
Horror
Year of
Release:
1997
Successful follow-up to the ever-popular SCREAM (8/10) which
regenerated the horror genre back in 1996, and has since parlayed
the hit into another neat success with I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST
SUMMER.
PLOT:
Sidney finds herself in college two years after all of the
murders went down in Woodsboro back in the original SCREAM. A
movie called "Stab", based on the events of the small
town, as written in the book by Gale Weathers, has also just come
out, and sparked what appears to be a "copycat killer"
on the campus grounds. Who can this wacky person be? Scary stuff
ensues.
CRITIQUE:
Some thrills. Some chills. But overall, just a basic scary movie
that does little to improve on the elements tiled down in the
first, and more effective, SCREAM. Ironically, one running theme
in this film is how movie sequels generally don't surpass their
originals in regards to quality, and SCREAM 2 is a perfect
example of that well-founded theory. Mind you, this is not a bad
film by any stretch of the imagination (some pretty neat murders,
and another pretty decent "who donnit?" premise), but
it just doesn't live up to the first.
Having said that, I think that this statement has less to do with
the actual content and quality of this picture, and more with the
sensitized nature of its audience during this second time a
go-go. I guess we all just need something a little more
spectacular to impress us, now that this genre is back
"in" again (And while the addition of every other Joe
and Mary "young, hip Hollywood" actor might bring in
some box-office bucks for the first and second weeks of release,
it sure does little to impress us once they (on the most part)
waste their jolly time on the big screen.)
The acting was fair in this picture, but I saw the Campbell
character as a little too nerve-wrecked for my taste. The film
references by writer Williamson were extremely well-sprinkled,
and enjoyed mucho by yours truly (For the record, I definitely
agree with the man's theory about ALIENS (8/10) being a much
better film than its predecessor, ALIEN (7/10)). Also, I liked
the fact that most of the African-American characters in this
film seemed to be much wiser to the whole carnage scenario, as
opposed to most Hollywood pictures, in which there always seems
to be a convenient "murder seat" reserved for the token
black characters. The cameraman in this movie was especially
funny and enjoyable.
Another thing that really didn't compare to the first movie was
its ending. I was thoroughly surprised and amazed by the ending
of the original SCREAM, as opposed to this one, which just left
me kind of shrugging my shoulders in indifference. Also, even
though I am reviewing this movie as a person who has already seen
and thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, I thought it might be
harder for those non-original SCREAM viewers, to fully comprehend
the many references to the first film. Oh well. 'Tis life in the
big city, I suppose. Overall, I guess this flic is a good scary
movie for a long, dark, lonely old night with your loved-nacho by
your side. But for your complete enjoyment faculties to truly
savour all the delicacies in this decent spook-fest, I suggest
you rent the original before popping this pepper into your VCR,
and then of course... don't forget to scream !!!
Little Known Facts:
SCREAM AGAIN and SCREAM LOUDER were two titles that were also
considered for this sequel's title.
Neve Campbell won the 1997 MTV Movie Award for Best
Female Performance for her role in this film.
Jerry O'Connell played Vern, the fat kid in STAND BY ME
(7.5/10), who accompanied Chris (River Phoenix), Teddy (Corey Feldman) and Geordie (Wil Wheaton)
to locate the dead body. After that movie, Jerry went back to
school, and did not become a full-time actor until he graduated
from NYU with a degree in film and television.
(c) 1998 Berge Garabedian
Movie Reviews by Berge Garabedian