Sigh. Everything old is new again.
The Halloween series has risen from the grave repeatedly; 1960’s Psycho was re-imagined as the TV series Bates Motel; and Netflix will debut a re-boot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre next month.
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| With varying levels of interest, skepticism and outright disbelief, the possible next victims of the ongoing murder spree — from left, Wes (Dylan Minnette), Richie (Jack Quaid), Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Dewey (David Arquette) — listen while the horrific situation's "rules" are explained. |
The first film’s 1996 debut quickly spawned a trilogy that “concluded” four years later. 2011’s Scream 4 attempted — and failed — to breathe new life into the murder sprees occurring in small-town Woodsboro; a three-season television series, from 2015-19, had nothing to do with the franchise beyond borrowing its name.
Creator Kevin Williamson’s shrewd “gimmick” — he scripted the first, second and fourth films — is that these characters are well versed in horror films, and speak knowledgably about what one should (and shouldn’t) do, when confronted with a masked killer murder spree.
But more often than not, they ignore their own well-researched advice. With predictable results.
The movie-obsessed killers, as well, are required to act according to certain genre expectations. Finally, there are three well-established rules:
1) Never trust the love interest;
2) The killer’s motive always is connected to something in the past; and
3) The first victim always belongs to a “friend group” that the killer is part of.
As the series progressed, it became increasingly self-referential and meta, with each fresh set of characters (victims) debating the merits (or lack thereof) of a film series — Stab, Stab 2, etc. — that exploits these Woodsboro tragedies. This, in turn, spawns fresh killing sprees by new maniacs concealed behind the Ghostface mask, which prompts further Stab entries. Lather, rinse, repeat.
(Honestly, you’d think Woodsboro would have run out of residents by now.)
The question, then, is whether this 2022 entry has anything fresh to say. The answer: Slightly yes, mostly no.
