WARNING: This Review Contains Spoilers
With the news of an upcoming fifth instalment of the Scream franchise, the first since Wes Craven’s passing, I have taken the time to look back over the original trilogy and the fourth film that followed 11 years later.
Body Count
Something that is key to the ‘slasher’ franchise, is that people die. You can follow the same formula for each film and the number stays the same, or the body count can increase as films go on. Interestingly, Craven seems to have done both. Understandably, the first film has the fewest and the fourth has the most – but both Scream 2 and 3 have a matching body count of 10. This opens the question in terms of the fifth film, will the body count rise again – maybe to an unlucky thirteen – or will it plateau as it already has?
The Subplot
This is the main connection between the first three films, the tale of Maureen Prescott. Understandably, it does not feature in the fourth film as the story has already come to its end (one of the reasons I feel we did not need a fourth, let alone a fifth, instalment). We meet our lead character, Sidney Prescott, a year after the tragic murder of her mother. This trauma affects her relationship with her boyfriend, Billy Loomis – the eventual face under the ‘Ghostface’ mask. It is revealed at the end of the first film that Sidney has accused the wrong man for the murder of her mother, as Billy confesses to it in the closing scenes. He also enlightens Sidney to the fact that her mother was having an affair with his father, creating his motive.
This leads into the second film and the first introduction to Cotton Weary – the aforementioned falsely accused man of Maureen’s murder. If I am honest, he is the only connection in this film to the subplot. With the confession and death of Billy Loomis, Cotton is released from prison after a year and is dropped back into Sidney’s life by Gale Weathers, the tenacious reporter.
The third film actually gives us the biggest surprises when it comes to Maureen Prescott. Sidney discovers her mother’s secret past in Hollywood and the reveal of a half-brother, Roman Bridger. Once again, much like the first film – envy of Sidney and Mrs Prescott form Roman’s motive for murder.
Character Development
Throughout all four films, we follow a consistent three lead characters; Sidney Prescott, Dwight ‘Dewey’ Riley and Gale Weathers.
As referenced above, during the original trilogy Sidney is struggling with the murder of her mother, along with contending with countless serial killers. Gradually throughout the films, Sidney becomes stronger emotionally and her fear begins to wane – to the point that she is willing to return to the car in Scream 2 to see who is under the mask. The pinnacle of this, is actually the ending to the third film. Sidney has understandably made herself a recluse by this film because she says herself, you can’t kill a ghost. At the beginning of the film, she has an alarm on her front gate as well as her front door along with 3 locks. By the end, with everything resolved regarding her mother’s murder, Sydney confidently leaves the front gate open and does not lock or set the alarm on her door. I say it again, was a fourth film really needed if the subplot has been resolved?
On to our second main character, Gale. She stops at nothing to prove that Sidney has accused Cotton incorrectly, including hounding Sidney on a daily basis following the first two murders in Scream, causing her to end up right in the thick of it. I believe, due to these issues between them, Sidney and Gale’s relationship shows more development than others in the quadrilogy. In the beginning, Sydney hates Gale – due to her behaviour and the book she wrote regarding the case surrounding her mother’s murder. Their relationship is still tenuous by the second film, as once again Gale uses Sidney’s life to make money for herself – writing ‘The Woodsboro Murders’ – but it is clear by the subsequent films that fighting the foes together strengthens their bond.
Dwight ‘Dewey’ Riley, the luckiest unlucky character of throughout the films. I am still unsure how this man is stabbed in the back TWICE and still does not end up in a wheelchair. He also, unfortunately, ends up with a similar trauma as Sidney because his sister becomes one of Billy and Stu’s victims in the first film. On the other hand, a happy note to make is that throughout the ups and downs in their relationship – he proposes to Gale at the end of the third film and they are married for 10 years by the fourth. We also get to see, with a little segway into the movie industry, Dewey’s character rise from Deputy to Sheriff.
Sidney the hero?
I would say that Sidney is the stand-out main character of the three previously mentioned as she is the prime target of all six killers. However, I do not believe that she is the out-and-out hero of the quadrilogy – to the point that I believe there is at least one death that she is at fault for. Yes, it is her that finishes off Stu by dropping the television on his head and puts the final bullet in Billy in the first film but this does not continue into the subsequent films. For example, regarding the deaths of Mrs Loomis and Mickey in the second film, it is Cotton Weary who actually fires the fatal bullet to take out Billy’s mother. Also, when Mickey ‘comes back for one final scare’ after being shot by Mrs Loomis, it is unclear who actually kills him in the end as Gale and Sidney both open-fire. It is also in this film that I feel Sidney is actually responsible for one of the murders that take place. As previously referenced, with her growth in confidence after the car crashes – Sidney decides to return to the car in order to unveil the killer. In my opinion, it is this is decision that actually gets Hallie killed. If they had run away when Hallie says to, she may have lasted longer in the film.
Moving on to the third film and the foiling of Sidney’s half brother. It actually ends up being Dewey who puts the final bullet in Roman’s head following a series of them being fired into his chest even though he is wearing a bullet-proof vest.
Finally, in the fourth film – the overall killer actually does half of the job for Sidney. Jill kills her accomplice Charlie as she longs to be the sole survivor of her own massacre. I actually wished that Jill had been killed with the defibrillator in the closing scenes (everyone getting shot was getting pretty boring), and if I am honest in real life I think would actually have done the job, but once again our antagonist has to rise again only to be taken down by Sidney.
The Rules, are they followed?
In each film, Randy (possibly my favourite character of the whole quadrilogy) explains to us the rules of a horror movie. Understandably, they change depending on which film you are watching. In the first film, he informs a room of drunken teenagers how to survive a scary movie. I believe that only one of these is actually conformed to. Rule One: Don’t have sex – Sidney survives the film (and subsequent instalments) even though she actually has sex with the killer. Rule Two: Don’t drink or do drugs – I feel this is only half followed as, even though he has been drinking, Randy also makes it through the film whereas Tatum does not. Rule Three: Don’t say ‘I’ll be right back’ – even though he says it as joke, Stu still ends up dead…rule followed!
In the second film, during a discussion with Dewey about the possible identity of the killer, Randy explains the rules of a sequel. Rule One: Bigger body count – this is definitely done, as an additional three people are killed in comparison to the first film. Rule Two: Death scenes are more elaborate – if I am honest, this only really applies to the murder of CiCi as in my opinion many of the murders in the second film are similar to those in the first.
Unfortunately, by the third film Randy has been killed by Ghostface and has to deliver his rules of a trilogy by video (yes, I know – it was the 90s after all). Rule One: the killer is superhuman – physically impossible but I guess wearing body armour comes pretty close. Rule Two: Anyone including the main character can die: ‘This means you Sid. I’m sorry’ – technically I would say this is followed, as the actress that is playing Sidney in Stab 3 gets killed but not the actual Sidney, so Randy’s rules are applied to the film within the film.
Finally, and even though it is still a sequel, we are introduced to the one and only rule of a remake: it must outdo the original. Even with the most convoluted plot and motive, I have to admit the fourth film lives up to this rule as it has the highest body count of all four films.
In Conclusion
Even though I enjoy all four films, even with how terribly ridiculous the fourth comes across, I feel that Craven could have ended it after Scream 3. In my opinion, a fifth film will be a second step too far.
