SCREAM 2 (1997)

Directed By: Wes Craven 
Written By: Kevin Williamson 
Cinematography: Peter Deming 
Editor: Patrick Lussier 

Cast: Neve Campbell, Jerry O’Connell, Elise Neal, Timothy Olyphant, Jamie Kennedy, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Rebecca Gayheart, Portia DeRossi, Liev Schrieber, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jada Pinkett, Omar Epps, Duane Martin, David Warner, Luke Wilson, Heather Graham, Tori Spelling, Lewis Arquette, Joshua Jackson, Marisol Nichols 

Two years after the events of Scream, Sidney Prescott and Randy are attending Windsor college. They are trying to get on with their lives...Until a new Ghostface killing spree begins. With the help of Dewey and Gale, Sidney must find out who's behind the murders. As the body count goes up, the list of suspects goes down.

Minorities are represented in this movie. Where it seems to try to show it’s going in a new direction. While playing into cliché of people of color dying first by having the opening kill be people of color and celebrities. Leading the film to Be hip but also setting the stage for a different arena of sorts a college campus.

One Has to give the movie credit for allowing a minority voice in the movie to critique the genre. While Also building up to an operatic Death and giving horror fans something to consider as they cheer on the deaths and slowly realize it’s real violence they are watching and helped participate in. Though the film Scolds it quickly goes back to the type of film that audience wants to see.

I was a big fan of the first SCREAM movie so I looked forward to this. As I saw the original at least 3 times in theaters. I remember being excited the first time going with the crowd feeding off of their energy. As that is what helped the first film have that extra thrill at least for me it was audience reaction. While this film doesn’t rise to the occasion but it has it’s own Strengths.

This film adds more characters which also leaves there to be plenty more suspects. Which not only feeds the audiences imagination, but also the characters as after a while they are second guessing one another. As really some like David Warner’s theater teacher are only here to be set up that way or end up as victims. Basic red herrings (I can admit to rooting for Sarah Michelle Gellar to survive or at least put up a fight as this was during those BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER days)

The killing of a certain character cements this movie with a monumental element and also guarantees that no character is safe.

The film feels rushed but that might be because as a sequel it’s Already overstuffed and settling into a style. Not to mention had to be made and finished by a certain release date that had already been set in stone.

There are just so many characters and set prices that after a while some just disappear though with the over abundance come a few memorable moments filled with suspense. As the victims are usually characters the audience cares about and not other characters you would more want or expect as victims (the sorority girls)

The film has as always a sense of humor about itself but shows more satire and a little self parody with the Movies based on the first film STAB being released and shown scenes from.

The kills feel more gruesome as most of the kills are done up close and with a knife. It seems more personal and brutal. Even though the opening kills seem only there to let the Lead character know of the killers presence.

The film ends up feeling too broad to feel special and singular. Though with the characters in college at least they don’t look too old as they did in the first film set in high school.

This film works as more of a mystery. As we know what we are looking for and the film plays with that mentality and tries to play games with our expectations. Yet still stays witty and shows a love of pop culture and movies. As the first film seemed to be trying to make us feel it was more random as far as suspects and then in the end the red herring is actually guilty

This is also unfortunately where it begins to feel more like a product a franchise. As it doesn’t feel as original nor that as much care went into it. As this sequel seems more about pleasing the audience and giving them What they want. Rather then serving the characters or the story. At least the film offers some diversity.

While it brings the movie to a much bigger arena. It also feels so stuffed with characters for red herrings, suspects and victims.

Watching it it’s interesting as a film fan to see the contrasts as each film you get to see the story grow. The film suffers from Feeling not as personal it feels more manufactured and loses some of it’s wit. 

Grade: B-