Review: ‘Scream 2’—Ghostface’s Back, and Just About Everyone Else is Too

Guess who’s back, back again? Ghostface’s back. Stab a friend. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back? Do you like scary movies? How about scary movie sequels? How about scary movie sequels that burst onto the screen less than a year after the original to capitalize on the meta-insanity and feverous reception of said original, which not only reinvigorated the mainstream horror genre but ushered in a whole new slew of scream queens, pretentious teens, and whodunnit glory? If the answer is yes, then holy sweet goddamn do I have the movie for you!

“Scream 2” keeps with the over-arching theme of the “Scream” series in a unique way that doesn’t so much parody horror sequels, but comments on them with the slightest of winks. Much like its predecessor’s meta-commentary on the genre in general, the sequel executes with a fast, fierce pace full of jump-scares, waves of tension, and some pretty excellent red-herrings and misdirection as to the identify of Ghostface.

Everyone who survived the first film’s slash-fest is back and somehow even more ‘90s! The hair. The clothes. Even the way they speak. Fewer pieces of art scream ‘90s more than the first couple “Scream” flicks. But I love the ‘90s so I’ll allow it. The trio of David Arquette, Courtney Cox, and Neve Campbell are excellent, while the ill-fated Jamie Kennedy still rocks and Ray Donovan kicks ass. 

But my issue here—and forgive me if I’m spoiling anything from twenty-three years ago—a particular duo here really irks me. It’s The Killers. What always frustrated me about The Killers here, aside from “Mr. Brightside” and their flaccid attempt to be a modern day American Duran Duran is their….woah, wait. Wrong killers. Like my grandmother’s lady cologne, the guy from “Justified” and Rosanne’s sister just don’t do it for me. I mean…I know this film was super rushed and I’m not taking shots at it because I do love all these films but—I don’t know. Something about “Scream 2” feels a little more “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and a little less “A Nightmare On Elm Street.” Even still, it’s nothing losing sleep over. Even if the eleven-year-old me lost a fair amount of sleep after seeing this with friends at a sleepover birthday party.

“Scream 2” is solid, no doubt, even if there are some plot holes and less than fully-formed character motivations. I’ll still take it. The original is one of my all time favorite films. So even if the sequel doesn’t quite hit it out of the park, it’s certainly miles ahead the wretched “Scream 3.” That son of a bitch was dead on arrival. Don’t sleep on “Scream 4” though. And next year, guess who’s back again? That’s right! Get ready for “Scream 5: Scream Harder.”