Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Jerry O' Connell
Available On Video: Pan-and-Scan and widescreen versions ($19.95), and DVD ($29.99) all from Dimension Home Video
Body Count: 10
Review: I went to see Scream 2 with almost no expectations. I knew that if I got my hopes up, the film would be a total letdown.
I didn't get my hopes up, but the film was still a major letdown. When I went to see the first film, all I wanted was a slasher movie. I got that, plus so much more. So I went to see Scream 2 with the same expectations...but for some reason, I really didn't get that. I got an attempt at a mystery story--one that doesn't really work (what a pathetic killer--I'm sorry, Kevin, but you could have done so much more with this story) Within the film, Randy points out the "rules of the sequel", but Scream 2 doesn't necessarily follow them (and maybe that's the point--who knows?); there are more deaths, true, but they are certainly not any more elaborate than the first movie (I've yet to see something of recent that tops Tatum's death in the garage door from the first film).
Upon second viewings, Scream 2 doesn't seem quite as offensive as it did when I first saw it, but it still leaves something to be desired. In all fairness, Kevin Williamson has admited that he felt rushed, and perhaps that's why he's taken a little extra time to work on Scream 3, which will hopefully redeem the franchise.
Still, there's lots of people that like Scream 2, so perhaps if you're just in the mood for a so-so flick, go ahead and give it a try. But don't say I didn't warn you...
Trivia: About two months prior to the opening of Scream 2 (originally called Scream Again) on December 12, 1997, the entire screenplay of the film appeared on the Internet--however, the ending of the film was quite different than the actual version seen in theaters. Wes Craven was quoted as saying that this was an "early version" of the film--it remains unknown if this was leaked out purposely to keep people from knowing who the real killers of the film were. Whatever the case, the original version of the script is actually much more effective than the filmed version.
Read the original draft of the Scream 2 screenplay!
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