Scream 3 (60%)

Director: Wes Craven     Cast: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox     Genre: Horror/Comedy

Runtime: 117 minutes     Release Date: February 04, 2000     Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

In 1996 a little movie (well not that little) was released called Scream. Not only did it shake up the box office but it re-energized and jump started the resurgence of horror movies on the big screen, in particular the slasher film. Blending horror and comedy together, the film used a self aware style that is still copied today.

A year later Scream 2 was released. Written by the same writer, directed by the same director and having the entire surviving cast led to a better than average sequel that worked much better than it should of. It featured the same self aware style and had the same blend of horror and comedy as the first film. It wasn't as good as Scream but it sure came close.

Cut to three years later and we get Scream 3, a film that reunites the director with the surviving cast of Scream 2 but brings on a new writer. Unfortunately, perhaps due to the new writer, the film doesn't come close to being as good as its predecessors. It's not a terrible film but it pales in comparison to what came before and in the end it can't hold a candle to the original let alone the sequel.

Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is living a solitary existence, hiding from the world and potential psychos that make her life a living hell. On the other side of the world, Hollywood is making Stab 3, 

a sequel to the fake set of movies based on the events of the first two movies (and this one). When the cast starts getting knocked off one by one, Sydney and company are forced to reunite and try stop this new killer from completing his task and destroying them in the process.

The Good:

Everyone you remember from Scream 2 (that survived) has returned here. It makes it fun to watch and gives a nice sense of unity to the film. The acting is pretty good throughout but like the first films nothing here is worth an award. Parker Posey is awesome as the girl who plays Gail Weathers and made me want to just watch her the entire film. Lance Henrikson has a small role too, and le's be honest, Lance Henrikson rocks!!! 

There is also a fun game of spot the cameo going on. Some of them are very obvious (and quite funny) and some of them are hard to see or only noticeable if you are a die hard film geek like me and know a shit ton about movies and who makes them. Director Wes Craven obviously has a lot of clout in Hollywood (for reasons unbeknownst to me) as he is able to always get actors and behind the scenes people to be in front of the camera for short periods of time.

The film also takes place during the making of Stab 3, which is really Scream 3 being played out before it is even made. Sound confusing? It's not really. Basically what we the audience is watching is the story behind Stab 3 and as it plays out it becomes part of the story within the story. Okay, fine, it still sounds confusing but it isn't when you are watching it. In fact it's really kind of clever and there are scenes that elude to later scenes in the film that are rather fun and amusing. 

It's cool to see new actors playing the parts of the characters from Scream/Stab and to see them have their own parts as other actors in the film. And it's also cool to see the soundstage for Stab 3 which is made up to look like Woodsboro, the setting from the first film. It's shot really well and it gives a sense of foreboding and a sense of things coming full circle as you watch the film.

The Bad:

Where Scream 3 falls apart is in the script. Unlike the first film (and even the second) there is nothing original about this film. It plays like a generic sequel to the films that came before and although it tries to be clever (see above) for the most part it fails. It really does feel like a lazy version of both the previous films. The deaths are unoriginal, the twists are predictable, the killer is pretty weak.

In the first Scream, the killer at the end laments about how no motivation for the killings is scary. Scream 3 ignores that idea completely. Here, the killer (who is a pretty bad actor to boot) has a weak, stupid and very connected motivation for trying to kill Sydney. Not only that but the connections the writer throws at you are poorly conceived and come off as 'too coincidental' than realistic.

The killer here is killing off the actors in Stab 3 in the order that they die in the script. Why? What does that have to do with Sydney? Nothing. It kinda works when you are watching the film but when it's over and you think about it it really makes no sense at all. As does the voice changing speakerbox the killer uses.  

In short, there is not enough originality here, it's too much of the same and the film suffers from it. It slightly drags, it's kinda predictable and it feels a lot worse for wear than parts one and two. The writer, Kevin Williamson, of the first two films is sorely missed here.

The Ugly: 

*******SPOILER ALERT...SPOILER ALERT...SPOILER ALERT...SPOILER ALERT...*******

Near the end of the film Sydney is lying on the floor having just been beat up by the killer. The said killer grabs a gun and shoots her twice. Once in the chest and once, very obviously in the neck. The killer, in a shocking set of events, just killed Sydney Prescott. No fucking way!!! But wait, what's that? She's still moving? Huh? 

It turns out that she was wearing a bullet proof vest. That would make sense if she was shot only in the chest but she wasn't. She was very clearly shot in the neck where there was nothing but skin. That was a cheat and a scam and was a useless and poor attempt at playing with the viewers emotions. And it was just poorly done. It's as plain as that. It was the worst moment in all three Scream films.

The Verdict:

Scream 3 is a mess and a disappointment, coming after two great movies. It's muddled, generic, more of the same but not as good, and has a weak killer with a weak motivation. It makes less sense the more you think about it but while you are watching it it does tend to feel kinda cool (after all it is Scream). 

While there are a few cool moments, some great cameo's and some funny and interesting scenes, overall it just feels like a weaker and sadder version of a classic film and sequel. I don't recommend this film to anybody except die hard horror/Scream fans. Anybody else should stick with the first two and not tarnish their memories by watching this film. It's not the worst film I've ever seen, I was after all slightly entertained, but it's just not that good either. 

Recommendation: Scream

           Re-playability: 5 out of 10     Directing: 7 out of 10     Originality: 3 out of 10                 

Costumes and Make-up: 6 out of 10     Acting: 7 out of 10     Editing: 6 out of 10

Cinematography: 7 out of 10     Music: 7 out of 10     Script: 4 out of 10

         Production Design (Sets/Locations/Special Effects): 8 out of 10                  

Total Score = 60%