When a character suggests they “Agatha Christie the suspects” in Scream 7, a faint flicker of interest is ignited. Images of a gracious room, a detective pointing the finger, and a villain collapsing under the weight of evidence dance in the mind. Sadly, that flicker is the brightest moment in an otherwise dull and muddled sequel that fails to recapture any of the franchise’s former meta-magic.
Plot: Sidney Returns, But to What?
Scream 7 begins like all its predecessors, with a couple being hunted by a slasher fan. This time, it’s Scott (Jimmy Tatro) and his girlfriend Madison (Michelle Randolph), who visit the infamous house of original Ghostface killer Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) in Woodsboro. After several fake scares, they meet the real Ghostface.
Meanwhile, the ultimate “Final Girl,” Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell, returning after a pay dispute kept her out of Scream VI), has moved to Pine Grove, Indiana. She lives a quiet life with her police officer husband Mark (Joel McHale), runs a coffee shop, and tries to protect her children, including her rebellious 17-year-old daughter Tatum (Isabel May). But when murders begin plaguing the town and a profusion of Ghostfaces emerge, Sidney is drawn back into a nightmare.
What Works: Campbell and a Fleeting Spark
- Neve Campbell’s Return: Campbell slips back into the role of Sidney with familiar ease. She brings a grounded, weary resilience to the character, and her presence is a comforting anchor for the franchise.
- One Innovative Kill: A murder set on a college theatrical production of Peter Pan shows a brief flash of the creative, meta violence the series is known for.
- Returning Cast: The film brings back several familiar faces, including Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy, Mason Gooding as her twin brother Chad, Courteney Cox as reporter Gale Weathers, and Roger L. Jackson as the iconic voice of Ghostface. For fans, seeing this ensemble is a treat, even if they are given little to do.
What Doesn’t: A Dull Butter Knife
The film’s problems are numerous and deep.
- Muddled Plot: The story is a jumble of plot strands that go nowhere. Suspects are introduced and killed off before they can be properly established, robbing the whodunit element of any tension or surprise.
- Dull Execution: Aside from the Peter Pan sequence, the kills are uninspired. The film also never answers the burning question: how do those Ghostface masks stay on through all the running and fighting? Are they glued on?
- Wasted Potential: The much-hyped “Agatha Christie” setup at a diner collapses into an anaemic murder spree. The film teases a clever, drawing-room mystery but delivers a messy, forgettable climax.
- Meta Magic Missing: Despite having Kevin Williamson—the writer of the original Scream—in the director’s chair, the film cannot recreate the sharp, self-aware wit that made the 1996 original a genre-defining classic.
The Verdict
Scream 7 brings back its Final Girl and many familiar faces, but it forgets to bring a compelling story. It is a damp squib that will leave fans screaming in frustration rather than terror. For a franchise built on subverting expectations, delivering a sequel this predictable and dull is the biggest disappointment of all.
