Scream 2 (1997)

"I don't know about homicide, but you've definitely got me for raising my voice in a public library.", 5 November 2017

Scream 2 is set two years after the events in Scream. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has moved on and has tried to put things behind her. But her new life and her old life soon cross paths as a new killer shows his face (well, not really - he's wearing a mask). Sidney's friends are being picked-off one-by-one and she in a fight for life.

For me, Scream 2 isn't as good as Scream, but for a film that was rushed into production and had the difficult task of following a modern horror phenomenon, it's really a decent film. I'll give a lot of the credit to the director, Wes Craven, and a talented group of actors. Craven was a real pro. The fact that he was able to take this bloated script and turn it into something watchable is almost a miracle. He does an excellent job creating tension and atmosphere with several of the kills. I'm probably most impressed with Randy's death scene given that it takes place in broad daylight in a crowded common area. Nicely done. As for the acting, it's a strong cast for a film like this. Campbell is joined by actors like Liev Schreiber, Timothy Olyphant, Jamie Kennedy, Courteney Cox, Jerry O'Connell, and Laurie Metcalf - all more than capable. Very nice. You know, if it weren't for an overload of self-referential nonsense, a 2+ hour runtime in desperate need of editing, and the ridiculous opening movie theater sequence, I could easily see rating Scream 2 much higher. Still, it's entertaining enough to warrant a 6/10.

6/10