Opens In Theaters On February 4, 2000!
Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Ehren Kruger
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox
Body Count: 10
Review: In a lot of ways, this was a film that I've been waiting about four years to write.
The Scream series was always intended to be a trilogy. Hence, when the first film made a splash and the sequels (both 2 and 3) were announced, Scream fans like myself anxiously awaited the developments of the series. Scream 2 was a disappointment--not the worst that it could have been, but definitely sub-par from my expectations.
Scream 3 puts a little life back into the saga, bringing it back from the depths of 2 but not quite reaching the heights of the original. The reasons? Well, there are a few, but most notable is the absence of Kevin Williamson's presence as writer. This was always Williamson's series, and to even try to make the conclusion without his input was a grave mistake, as far as I'm concerned.
The film picks up about three years after the Windsor College murders of the second film, with Sidney living a secluded life in Northern California under an assumed name. Gale Weathers is called onto the set of Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro in Hollywood when the star of the opening scene is found murdered.
What it breaks down to is someone with some deep ties to the original slayings in Woodsboro is out of make this the final act, and, of course, that means Sidney is the prime target.
But Sidney is hardly in this movie. In fact, her scenes seem almost thrown in due to necessity. The story obviously revolves around her, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the pacing and structure of the movie, which shows us about four Gale Weathers scenes for every one scene with Sidney.
Ultimately, most people will be interested in the killer's identity, but the truth is actually a really big letdown. There are some truly golden moments in Scream 3 (like the part where Sidney stumbles onto the soundstage depicting her house from the first film, and some great dialogue specifically meant for those closed minded people who believe that cinema violence is responsible for real-life violence), but the revealing of the killer is not one of them. Nor, for that matter, are the death scenes that seem to be thrown together quickly in order to achieve a high body count. Most of the slayings are boring, with the killer just using a simple knife, and most of the characters that are killed really don't have much character at all.
In the end, it comes down to Sidney facing her supposedly greatest nemesis...but this really isn't the case, as far as I'm concerned. Sidney's true nemesis and worst enemy has always been herself, and although the ending does indicate that she has grown as a character, her role in the bulk of the film seems to be a copout. A worthy try, some great moments, but ultimately, the film sells itself short and panders to a mass audience.
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