Someone has taken their love of sequels one step too far.
Scream 2 is a 1997 slasher comedy film directed by Wes Craven, written by Kevin Williamson, produced by Konrad Pictures and Craven-Maddalena Films, and distributed by Dimension Films. It stars Neve Campbell and David Arquette. It was not nominated for any Academy Awards. This is the second film in the Scream franchise. It was preceded by Scream and followed by Scream 3.
"Don't you know history repeats itself?" -Ghostface
Plot
After Billy Loomis and Stu Macher terrorized Sidney Prescott in high school, she is trying to outlive her past in college by hanging out with her friends and focusing on the life she has ahead of her. However, when a string of killings that replicate the Woodsboro killings begins, Sidney is put to the test again as she, Gale Weathers, and Dewey Riley team up once more to pull the Ghostface mask off for the second time.
What I Liked About Scream 2
I love the first Scream. It's a great film that acts as a love letter to and satire of the horror genre. Scream 2 has all the meta humor of the original, while also poking fun at sequels and tropes in horror movie sequels. And it works. Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven know the horror genre so well that they can make fun of the tropes in a way to satisfy the audience. It also solidifies Sid Prescott as one of the best final girls in horror film history. She's a real fighter that pushes back against the Ghostface killer while dealing with her own personal troubles, and they really nail that in this movie.
What I Disliked About Scream 2
The original Scream balanced the horror and comedy so well. It was fresh. It was a unique look at horror movies. It was really funny while also having some of the scariest movie moments of all time. The opening scene of that movie is iconic for how scary it is. Unfortunately, I don't think Scream 2 balanced the horror and comedy well enough. It has scary moments and it has funny moments, but they don't mesh together like they did in Scream. The tone isn't balanced. Half the time it feels like an actual slasher movie, while the other half feels like a cheesy 90s rom-com.
Why Scream 2 Works Well Enough
Scream 2 fits into the guilty pleasure category. It is not a great movie, by any means. But it's fun. I find slasher movies wildly entertaining, and I find the Scream movies to be one of the most entertaining slasher franchises. The meta humor, murder mystery, and actual horror are just fun, even if they aren't balanced. I think this will work for people that aren't really into horror movies either. It definitely isn't super scary, which is why people that aren't horror fans will still enjoy it.
Final Score
Scream 2 cannot measure up to the original, but it's a solid sequel that has the entertainment value that fans of the Scream franchise want.
I will go Savory here. Age range is 13+.
SWEET N' SOUR SCALE
Sweet (Great) Savory (Good)
Sour (Bad)
Moldy (Terrible)
"Scream 2"
Fun Factor: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Story: 7/10
Characters: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
WHERE TO WATCH
Peacock: Available with premium subscription
Amazon Prime Video: Available for rent
Apple TV+: Available for rent
Directed by Wes Craven
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, frightening scenes and images
Released on December 12, 1997
2 hours
Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott
David Arquette as Dewey Riley
Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
Jamie Kennedy as Randy Meeks
Jerry O'Connell as Derek Feldman
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Cici Cooper
Elise Neal as Hallie McDaniel
Timothy Olyphant as Mickey Altieri
Liev Schreiber as Cotton Weary
Laurie Metcalf as Debbie Salt
Duane Martin as Joel Jones