Film Review: Scre4m

I enter this review on a largely mixed mindset, not in terms of the film, because I know exactly what I feel about it. I find it occasionally difficult to judge a film based on its own technical merit as opposed to how much I enjoyed it. It really shouldn't be too hard to get to the bottom of this film, because it's altogether rather simple and straight-forward. I've taken the time to see the first three films in the Scream franchise this week, and my opinions variably match those of others. The first film is brilliance, the second film only slightly suffering from sequelitis, and the third one was just really bad. One could have fears of going worst with this next installment.

Thank the great fortunes that this film turned out to be just the right guilty pleasure to goad me into ignorant bliss. Any other film this year, I'd be able to pick to death for the many shortcomings in terms of narrative and execution. Somehow I just fell back on those standards this time at the theater. Scre4m, or Scream 4 to satisfy people of such a single mind, follows Sidney Prescott as she returns to Woodsboro on the anniversary of the famed killings. Suddenly, the murders start happening again, and it's all about who to trust, who not to trust, and what the new rules are for horror films. As put by Charlie and Robbie, the only real way for you not to be killed is if you're gay.

Even though I never really expected who would end up finally being the killer, that wasn't what made this one so interesting. I was just a sucker for how hilarious this installment of the series was. I feel like the earlier films didn't know how to balance the comedy and thriller elements, with the first one being the main exception. This one found a happy medium between the two. Another improvement that comes with the years is that the kills are much more gruesome, and we actually see the violence. Somebody is actually stabbed in the brain, and it takes him a whole minute to die. It's one of the most hilarious parts of the film.