Sharai Bohannon
Scream VI is one of the best sequels in this beloved franchise. It’s dangerous the entire runtime in a way the series hasn’t truly been since Scream 2 (it also shares a few other parallels with that sequel). It also continues to build upon the foundation laid down by Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson almost 30 years ago. However, it also solidifies that the amazing Core Four was here to stay (or were supposed to be) as it continues the arc of one of my favorite final girls in the history of the slasher subgenre.
Scream VI Goes There
The heart-stopping sequel sees The Core Four living in New York and being terrorized by the latest Ghostface killers. It uses this version of the city for some fun set pieces and cool nods to previous films in the franchise. It also reconfirms Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) is alive. She (and her new wig) is one of the many possible suspects. Because Scream VI reminds us that the killer is always someone you know. This sequel is large but never completely off the rails. Radio Silence continues honoring Wes Craven and what came before their tenure. They also leave their own mark on the beloved franchise as it felt like they were officially settling in.
Sam Carpenter is Thee Final Girl
I am still sad that I will not get to see this Radio Silence arc play out for Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and her squad. Unlike other final girls, Sam can admit that “there is a darkness inside” her. She not only kills people who come for her and her found family, but she also kind of enjoys it. Writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick gave us so much gold with this character. Part of the reason I had very few questions is because I understood her. She’s smart, resourceful, human, and wants to live and protect those she holds close.
A relatable queen if there ever was one. Unlike too many final girls, she never resets. She’s never going to feel safe again, and her mistrust of new people is earned. She’s so many WOC who have survived trauma and the racist reactions to her online really drive that home. Her impulse to leave when things get stabby makes sense and is a thing many of us have yelled at other final girls. I also love that she goes for a weapon at the hint of danger. There is no wait and see with Sam. She’s arming herself and switching into fight mode asap because her guard is always up. One ex-boyfriend stabbed her, and that is never going to happen again.
Scream Needed Sam
Scream VI also has one of my favorite Carpenter sister moments near the end when they seem surrounded by Ghostfaces. The scene where Sam turns to her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) and decides they are going to use bricks to fight their three attackers still makes me lean forward. Unlike many final girls who fall down crying or get saved by someone else distracting the killer, these sisters decide to give this batshit family a run for their money. They decide to go down fighting if that is the way the bloody cookie is going to crumble.
Aside from me loving this world that Radio Silence and crew, so lovingly and carefully birthed to slasher kids and Scream fans, I was also just happy to see the franchise commit to a new story. I know it’s blasphemy to point out, but Sidney Prescott’s (Neve Campbell) arc had run out of steam. Part of the reason I quietly cheered when Dewey (David Arquette) died in Scream (2022) is because that character should’ve died in every installment before that. I have yet to see a bad Scream film, although I do have a least favorite that I rarely revisit, but we were stuck in a rut. Like a relationship, or a job, that we keep showing up for even though we worry we’ll never have the passion we started with. The sudden murder of Dewey felt like a knife pointedly closing the Prescott chapter.
We all love Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and she has become an icon. However, her being one of the last original legacy characters in Scream VI did give me pause. That’s why, when she got her first phone call from Ghostface, and then followed it with one of the most tense sequences of the franchise, I kind of wished she had died too. It would have been a great sendoff for this beloved character. It also would have further closed the door on Sidney’s life infringing on Sam’s story. I was fine with her living because most audiences prefer sentimentality over anything else. So, it made sense from a writing standpoint to not piss off the vocal majority again. However, I also felt triggered because Radio Silence and Company had just raised the stakes again in Scream (2022). I was worried we would go back to playing it safe.
Mayhem On and Off Screen
Luckily, the unsettling train sequence where Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) gets stabbed and the chaotic bloodbath at the theater toyed with us just enough to keep the faith. While I love The Core Four and enjoy Chad (Mason Gooding) becoming the franchise’s new human pin cushion after Dewey fell, it felt like the end of Scream VI would be the last time they all beat the odds. I was mentally preparing to say goodbye to one of my faves when word came out that we wouldn’t be seeing this through. The third act of the Sam Carpenter story would not see the light of day.
First Radio Silence was abruptly replaced by Christopher Landon. Then Spyglass wrongfully fired Barrera, and all hell broke loose, making Scream a sore point for many of us. Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror by Ashley Cullins has the best recap of everything that transpired. Cullins also interviewed the people involved, so you can hear how they feel about it all instead of being annoyed by faceless Twitter accounts.
May I Say Some Things?
As the intersectional horror lady, my first concern is what happens to The Core Four. I’m a Wes Craven stan account, and I love Scream to embarrassingly cringe levels. However, POC were not given much to work with in this franchise before this decade. Seeing it go back to Sidney Prescott, a character whose chapter was finally closed, makes me worry. Will one of our favorite franchises go back to shoving POC characters into the wings? Will we be brought out only for bit parts again? More importantly, Mindy Meeks is one of the few queer Black women in a mainstream franchise. Will she still get a decent amount of screen time? Or, will she and Chad be given the bare minimum as we take several steps back from intersectionality?
The Last Scream
As a Scream fan, I also worry about the franchise going back to its rut. I grew up in Kevin Williamson’s 90s. I know if anyone can make Sidney interesting again, he can. However, will it ever be enough to make us forget the unresolved legacy of Sam Carpenter? It also sounds like this new installment wants to lessen the violence, which is an odd choice. My favorite Scream films are the ones that do not feel safe. The ones that never quite let me catch my breath while keeping me guessing until the end. After all, this is a murder mystery whodunnit slasher situation. We crave blood, high stakes, and a few main character deaths that leave us shaken. Otherwise, why did we put on pants and pay theater prices?
All of that to say, Scream VI is one of my favorite sequels of this franchise. As a Radio Silence girl, I think it’s also one of their best movies. That’s a claim I would never make lightly as I have done everything but get a Ready or Not tattoo on my face. I guess it’s a good thing this sequel goes hard, seeing how we might never see what it was leading up to.
