Scream 3
As a rule, you must always prepare for the worst when it comes to sequels. Even worse when it comes in threes. And even worse, worse, worse when it’s a horror. Because, as you know, trilogies in the genre don’t usually end up being the best. Unless you count Toy Story as horror which you could if you are deathly afraid of spider legged doll heads and deformed plastic figures coming to life scary…..
…Anyway, sometimes franchises just need three entries. Don’t ask me why but it always seems like the neat number (though, it’d be nice to have one film that excelled and didn’t spawn a hundred thousand deformed children). Anyway, again, I’m digressing a lot. The point is, is that when the conception of Scream happened in the nineties, you would have almost immediately known that Scream 3 was going to happen.
And because the first two films are actually quite good, I’m skipping both of those to talk about the third instalment that took Meta to a whole new level.
Scream 3 sees Sidney years after the events at her college and her school where everyone she loved pretty much died. Welp. Secluded, she works as a helpline for women in abusive relationships. After the death of Cotton, the man who she accused way back when she was a teenager because he was shtupping her mother, Sidney is roped back into the stalker game again when the ghost-faced killer hunts her down. Double-Welp. As she is led to the production of Stab 3, the movie series based on her life. Only someone is picking off the actors one by one.
Triple-Welp.
Why is it Bad?
Do you know when a sitcom becomes popular the main character (or characters) personality traits become exemplified and incredibly over the top? That kinda thing where Joey from Friends all of a sudden turned into the sex and food crazed goofball. Or JD became the ultimate day-dream who was sillier then Doctor? Well, that’s what happened with Scream 3. Each role, character and story is enhanced and transformed into the caricature of themselves. It’s so Meta, it’s insane. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised that as I’m writing this a killer isn’t going to phone me and chase me around the house whilst I rave on about how complicated and clichéd Scream 3 became. Fuck me, it even has Jay and Silent Bob in it. It isn’t incredible or ground-breaking as the first which, comparatively,
Why is it Good?
Well, Neve Campbell is flawless as always. She never made Sidney a simpering character, though she is often parodied as one in such awfulness like Scary Movie. There is a quiet strength to her that this time falls from the sarcastic lip or her will to survivor which is stunning and always great to watch. As for the rest of the performers, they do slip into their roles greatly despite them being overblown. The film is entertaining, with a steady foundation to party with its themes and Meta atmosphere. If you are a fan of slashers then you are going to enjoy it.
With Scream 4 reaching beyond the levels of craziness that this film did, and has largely the same faults and a television series is on the way - Scream 3 is still a decent effort. There’s humour, there’s jumps and, as always, there’s a bloody good twist. Mindless fun that you may have to revisit.