Why Scream 4 is one of the Best Reboots in Horror History 

An insight into Scream 4, looking at everything from the gore, the contrast with Scream (1996) and how it’s one of the best reboots in horror film history.

The last time beloved horror director Wes Craven was in the director’s seat was in 2010, a year before the release of Scream 4. His final film was filmed on location in Michigan, a contrast to the original Scream, which was filmed in California. Woodsboro, the fictional town that features across the franchise, just had to have that American smalltown look, according to Craven. When the reins of Scream were passed over to director duo Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, a new location was found, and Woodsboro moved to the East Coast – this time, North Carolina. What makes Scream 4’s presence in the franchise so special is that it’s the first time we’re back in Woodsboro since 1996, making us feel like we’re seeing an old friend after a long time. It’s a reboot that quite frankly boots every other attempt out of the window. 

Well, for a fourth film in a franchise, how good can it really be? To answer that, it’s more than a simple 5 out of 5 on a rating scale. 

Audiences, at the time, were hesitant of what stories were left to be told of our cunning final girl Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell), especially after her ending in Scream 3 was left on a closed and positive note. Her new book ‘Out of Darkness’, a self-help guide, released the day after the 15th anniversary of the Woodsboro murders (aka, the events that took place in the original Scream), of course had to have a book tour, and it wouldn’t have made sense to not bring the tour to her hometown. Sydney brings along her snarky publicist, Rebecca Walters (Alison Brie), who would rather be anywhere else in the world than on tour with her. Whilst in town, it’s revealed that Sydney’s estranged cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) is now a teenager at Woodsboro High. 

Scream 4 follows the basic structure of Scream, but this time it’s with new rules. We have the same group of angsty teens, this time though, some are desperate for fame, with nothing standing in their way. Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) both reprise their roles, with new characters Kirby (Hayden Panettiere), Charlie (Rory Culkin), Olivia (Marielle Jaffe), Robbie (Erik Knudsen) and Trevor (Nico Tortorella) all playing friends at Woodsboro High. There’s tension, as always, between the various closer knit groups, with Jill and Trevor’s high school fling on the rocks, and Charlie’s crush for Kirby growing stronger everyday. What the group is yet to find out, is that they’re being hunted one by one, with Sydney back as prey once again. 

The meta horror elements come straight into play, and in true Craven style by a brutal double killing by the iconic masked killer, Ghostface. In Scream, there was Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) picking up the white landline phone, screaming for help, in maybe one of the most legendary opening scenes to date. Now, we have Marnie Cooper (Britt Robertson), who knows the rules, or so she thinks. Unlike the original, Ghostface is one step ahead (well, he’s always been ahead, this cast just like to think they’re smarter than they actually are), taking prank calls, and his esteemed line “What’s your favourite scary movie?” to a whole new level of gore. 

The conscious stream of self-referential jokes in Scream 4 is not as far from the 1996 version as we think. There’re many people out there that consider Scream a comedy first before a horror, which isn’t the case (argue with the wall!). It’s the fact that it’s clever enough, thanks to writer Kevin Williamson, to acknowledge why the film is being made in the first place. A big change in technology from the late 90s to the early 10s is what makes the two stand apart the most. 

So what are these so-called rules? Well, in the original, they go from “don’t have sex” and “never say I’ll be right back” to the rules of Scream 4 being “Don’t f**k with the original”, “Unexpected is the new cliché”,  and “the latest technology is always involved and integral to the plot. This means the killer may start filming the murders.”. This shifting of the rules changes everything. 

In Scream, Randy (Jamie Kennedy), comparable to Scream 4’s Charlie, outlines the rules to us in the third act of the film. They’re said almost to the audience, though – not breaking the fourth wall; just edited alongside a clip of another character falling to their demise. It’s Charlie and Robbie who joke around with the new rules in their film club, in front of both Sydney and Gale, who quickly get up to date with what the kids are up to these days, in a parallel to what happened to them back in 1996. They instantly want to jump in and help these new teens who are at the heart of the killing spree. 

Scream 4 consistently comes out on top as one of the best reboots in horror history. It takes the original material and gives the audience the elements which we love and revamps it to the modern time of when it was released. As the franchise has continued on, the same self-referential moments come into play, and the rules unravel differently as the killer(s) adapt. It’s even more special to have this fourth installment directed and written by the same two people who originated the franchise. Those who don’t like it fail to see the reasons why it references itself as much as it does, which is a failing to understand the franchise as a whole. 

It’s not just these little tongue-in-cheek moments that make Scream 4 so special; it’s the kills themselves.

*** The following paragraph contains spoilers to some of the characters deaths in the film *** 

Olivia’s death is the first kill that really gives you an insight of what bloodshed we’re in for. It’s also one of the gnarliest aftermaths of the entire franchise, new additions included. Scream 4 also features the most kills in a Scream film still to this day. Police officer Anthony Perkins (Anthony Anderson) (yes, Williamson really did name him after the horror legend) has arguably the best kill of the movie, with Craven revealing that it was based on a real life accident he had seen in a documentary. 

***No more spoilers from this point on***

It’s a film full of carnage, but not so full on that there’s a kill literally every second. There’s time to develop the characters fully, with the integration of the new characters seamlessly blending in with the originals we know and love. It’s 111 minutes of irony, entertainment, gory kills from Ghostface, and most importantly, we get to watch Sydney Prescott on our screens again, one of the best final girls that Craven, and the world of horror has ever given us.

Scream 4 is now available to watch on digital and on demand.

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