After all the behind-the-scenes chaos, “Scream 7” should have been a redemption story. Instead, it feels like a desperate attempt to keep a dying franchise alive.
The firing of Melissa Barrera after her social media posts sparked controversy, and the exit of Jenna Ortega already left a bad taste in fans’ mouths. The studio decided to bring back Kevin Williamson, the original writer, who sounded promising on paper, but what we got feels completely uninspired.
The film follows Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), as she tries to live a normal life with her family. Of course, Ghostface returns, pulling her and a new group of young characters back into another wave of violence. The movie jumps between family drama and classic slasher chaos, trying to balance legacy characters with a new generation. On the surface, it sounds like a strong setup. In reality, it never fully commits to anything it introduces.
The biggest issue with this movie is that it feels pointless. The story goes in circles and adds nothing new to the franchise. The new cast feels like background noise, to be killed off rather than interesting character dynamics. It’s like the script only exists to move bodies around, not to develop actual characters.
The pacing is exhausting. The film spends long stretches on nonstop attacks that stop being scary and start feeling repetitive. By the second half, it feels desperate. The kills are brutal, but brutality alone doesn’t make a movie good. It feels like the movie is copying older entries without understanding what made them work in the first place.
Even the returning cast can’t save it. Courteney Cox is given almost nothing to work with. Neve Campbell tries her best, but the script doesn’t give her a powerful arc to work with. Isabel May stands out as one of the few who bring real emotion, but one strong performance isn’t enough to fix a weak story.
Technically, the movie looks polished. The lighting is dramatic, the stunts are solid, and the Ghostface costume still works. But technical competence is the bare minimum for a big-budget horror film. There’s no creativity behind it. It feels like everyone involved showed up, did the job, collected a paycheck and went home.
In the end, “Scream 7” doesn’t just disappoint, it feels unnecessary. It doesn’t move the franchise forward, take risks or leave a lasting impact.
For a series that built its name on being sharp and self-aware, this entry feels dull and empty. It’s not bold. It’s not clever. It’s just there.
