At the start ofScream 6s third act, our heroes board a subway train filled with costumed partygoers.
In nearly any other movie, these easter eggs would be annoying distractions.
Of course these kinds of namedrops are to be expected in aScreammovie.
But heres the thing aboutScream 6: the winks arent distracting at all.
Its this kind of first-class horror filmmaking that makesScream 6feel so fresh and alive.
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That newness includes our core four characters, each carried overfrom the previous entry.
The quartet forms a surprisingly strong bond, especially for characters we just met in the previous film.
Yet its a formula that largely still works, as Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett forgo mystery for full-on paranoia.
That approach is aided by the change in setting.
Every set piece reminds viewers that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are among the best pure filmmakers in horror today.
Less sure are the moments when the movie reaches for larger thematic resonance.
It also touches on the complexity of trauma.
Each time it reaches for substance, however, the movie loses its way.
But when it reaches those set pieces,Scream 6becomes utterly electrifying.
Scream 6opens in theaters Friday, March 10.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
