After two years of chaos, firings, and boycotts, Sidney Prescott is finally back. But is the movie actually good, or just damage control?
The wait is finally over. Scream 7 hits theaters this Friday, February 27, and after the absolute PR nightmare of the last two years—the firings, the walkouts, the director swaps—I honestly didn’t think we’d ever see this movie.
But last night, I caught the early fan screening, and I have to say the impossible: Kevin Williamson has performed a miracle.
This isn’t just a movie; it’s a hard pivot. The “Core Four” era is dead, buried under a mountain of studio controversy. In its place, we have a film that feels like a direct spiritual successor to the original 1996 masterpiece. It’s meaner, it’s personal, and for the first time in decades, it feels like Sidney Prescott’s story again.
The Return of the Queen (And Why It Hurts)
When I saw Neve Campbell walk onto the screen, the entire theater erupted. We aren’t just getting a cameo here; this is her movie.
The plot centers on Sidney’s quiet life in suburban Pine Grove being shattered when her daughter, Tatum (played by Isabel May, a fantastic addition), becomes the new target. Watching Sidney transition from “Survivor” to “Protector Mother” is the evolution I didn’t know I needed.
There is a specific scene in her kitchen—no music, just the phone ringing—where Campbell’s facial acting does more heavy lifting than the entire script of Scream VI. She isn’t running anymore. She’s hunting. It’s pure, unadulterated fan service, but it feels earned.
Addressing the “Carpenter” Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about it. The absence of Melissa Barrera (Sam) and Jenna Ortega (Tara) is felt, but Williamson handles it with surprising grace.
I honestly feel that the script (co-written by Guy Busick) manages to sidestep the awkwardness by leaning into the time jump. There’s a throwaway line about the sisters “going underground” that feels a bit cheap, but once the bodies start dropping, you forget about them.
This movie proves that Scream doesn’t need a specific cast of Gen Z stars to work; it just needs Ghostface and a motive. The kills this time around are less about “cool gore” and more about psychological torture. It feels like the stakes are higher because the targets are Sidney’s actual family, not just random college kids.
The “Stu Macher” Theory: Is Matthew Lillard Back?
The leaks have been screaming about this for months: Is Matthew Lillard in this movie?
I won’t spoil the reveal, but I will say this: The movie weaponizes our nostalgia against us. There is a sequence involving a voice changer that mimics Stu Macher’s voice so perfectly that I got chills. Whether it’s AI, a copycat, or the man himself, the film plays with the “Cult of Stu” in a way that feels meta even for Scream. It acknowledges the Reddit theories, the fan fiction, and the obsession with the original killers. It’s smart, it’s funny, and it’s terrifying.
Final Verdict
Scream 7 is a jagged, brutal correction for the franchise. It sacrifices the new generation to save the legacy, and while the behind-the-scenes drama leaves a bitter taste, the final product is undeniable.
This is the Sidney Prescott finale we’ve been waiting 30 years for.
Score: 8.5/10.
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
Known for his “no-nonsense” approach, Jordan pays for his own tickets and refuses to attend press junkets, ensuring his loyalty belongs only to the fans. If a movie is a cash grab, he’ll say it. If it’s a masterpiece, he’ll explain why technically.
Specialty: VFX Breakdowns, Script Analysis, Hidden Details.
Motto: “Cinema doesn’t lie, but marketing does.”
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