Scream 3


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Scream 3

USA 2000

I know--not the most popular of topics. But it's here now, so let's deal with it. You already know why I did. So here's a recap to give you a sense of what I brought to the third installment...

"Scream"--I never HATED this film. When I first saw it, I thought it was one of Craven's better jobs as a director, in fact--good rhythm, good jumps--and one great opening scene, no two ways about it. I wasn't blown away by the "marvelous" script, though--as I have little patience for mysteries with no genuine clues; where literally anyone could be unmasked at the end with the same effect. I also felt it was a cheat that the "phone voice" was done by an actor who otherwise didn't even appear in the damned thing! Nevertheless, as a one-shot, I didn't think it was bad at all. It was the subsequent praise and hero-worship that made me think "uh-oh." The claim that it had somehow "rescued" the horror film...and the ultimate insult of Kevin Williamson achieving Hall of Fame honors on the basis of ONE YEAR's worth of work, indeed! My suspicious were confirmed by "I Know What You Did Last Summer." I don't get the WB and have never seen an episode of "Dawson's Creek," for the record. Which leads us to...

"Scream 2"--by this point I had had enough. This wasn't a sequel--it was a damned REMAKE. Saw right through it and didn't care how much the young audience responded to it--I felt like I was being treated with utter contempt at this stage in the game. From the ludicrously contrived (even by movie standards) opening scene, to the mind-blowingly stupid "I'm too scared to unmask him--oh wait, I changed my mind--you wait here by yourself" car scene, this was a groaner. I named it the worst film of its year...but there have been worse films. Example? "I STILL Know What You Did Last Summer," which proved that a Williamson wannabe is even worse than a slumming Williamson!

Which brings us to "Scream 3." As you know, Williamson did NOT write this one. Mixed blessing? Well, here's my verdict--this is the film "Scream 2" should have been. Had it been so, then "Scream 2" wouldn't have been a classic, but it wouldn't have been the worst film of the year, either. But now...it's simply too late. It's not interesting anymore. The opening scene didn't impress me one way or the other; the scares don't work at all; and when you consider how many new and different ways the horror film was used in 1999, there's simply no appeal left in a satiric look at a "closed-set" big studio slash movie anymore. Yeah, some amusing cameos (I'll spoil them at the bottom, not here)--and nice use of the film set as opposed to the actual house for one of the stalk scenes. Some attempt to not simply clone the first two--mixed with some other patently ridiculous contrivances (the "gas" scene, anyone?). Some energy towards the end that could have paid off in an edgier film. And a nice, understated, closing shot. But it falls flat...because the time for this sort of "tribute" has already passed. This one isn't worth either your attention OR your contempt. Time to put it to sleep.

CAMEO SPOILERS

The film includes appearances by Roger Corman, Jay and Silent Bob, Carrie Fisher...but NOT "Stone-Cold" Steve Austin, despite what you heard a while back.

-Remo D