Parents' Guide to

Scream (2022)

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Gory "re-quel" in meta-horror series is still wicked fun.

Movie R 2022 114 minutes
Scream (2022) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 20 parent reviews

Charlie H.
Charlie H. Adult
December 18, 2022
age 16+

5th Scream movie holds up strongly, with some uneven pacing!

This re-quel to the famous Scream franchise is such a delight of fun with a nice touch of meta to it. When I first saw this, I thought that this was such an amazing addition to the Scream franchise, and I still do (and it's my favorite Scream movie), but after seeing this for my liked 3rd or 4th time, the ratings gone down by a 0.5, but it still holds up very strongly! I feel like a big error of this movie is how the story pacing is uneven . . . in a sense of way. I feel like it takes its time in the killings, and instead really waiting for the 3rd act for the real fun to begin. And I also feel like it's dragged down also by all the talking and not enough killings, but besides that this movie knows how to have a lot of fun! I love how this movie is just more than just with its killings . . . and the killers actually have a motive (it may not be the best movtives, but at least it's a motive). And it's just so much fun to be with the cast memebers . . . getting new blood while bringing in some old blood from other, previous movies in its series. I'm not going to lie, some the kills in here can be creative while at the same time it can quite basic. But I really, really love how they did the opening scene almost deja vu to the 1st movie. I always love the opening phone call with the killler. I mean, I'm not going to lie: it's an iconic moment not only in the Scream franchise but also I feel like in the horror franchise. It's what I feel Scream has always been known, so when this movie opened up with the phone-call and the attacks, I just can't help but love it! Now this series has very much redeemed itself with this movie . . . it's almost as good as the 1st one, but it is a tad better (in my opinion). The 2nd Scream movie was also good, but the 3rd and the 4th I felt like really went downhill with the series. But when this one came out and I saw it, this just redeemed the series from falling any lower. It's such a phenomal add to this beloved series that Wes Craven (RIP) created. I feel like Wes would have been proud with this one! I remember my first time seeing this and before watching this, I actually kind of binged watch all 4 previous movies in the series . . . just to be prepared for this one. And I was glad I did! It was worth siting down and watching all of them just to be familiar with the 5th one and what it had to give. This is one of my favorite slasher series, that manages to always come back with something entertaining even though sometimes it does stoop lower than I would like it to be. But I do have to give it to all the Scream movies: It builds upon each other by staying true to the wonderful legacy that Wes Craven created!
John G.
John G. Parent of 10-year-old
February 2, 2023
age 12+

Great

A good reboot of an old classic.
See all 20 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SCREAM, 25 years after the Ghostface Killer first struck, teen Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) gets a call from a stranger asking her about her favorite scary movie. Not long after, she's attacked and stabbed. Her estranged older sister, Samantha (Melissa Barrera), and Sam's boyfriend, Richie (Jack Quaid), return to Woodsboro to be with her. When the killer attacks again, Sam and Richie seek out the retired Dewey Riley (David Arquette), who reluctantly agrees to help, describing the rules of survival to a group of Tara's friends -- and adding that the killer is likely one of them. Horror movie buff Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) explains her theory that this is all a "re-quel." Meanwhile, Sam makes the decision to reveal her dark secret, the likely reason for the new rash of killings. Before long, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) arrive in town to hopefully put an end to the killings for good.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (20 ):
Kids say (85 ):

In passing the torch to fresh blood, this fifth entry in the meta-horror series shows that there are still layers of meta-ness to uncover, fresh scares to experience, and wicked fun to be had. Co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (of the collective "Radio Silence") and co-writer Guy Busick previously gave us the similarly whip-smart, gory Ready or Not, and they tackle this Scream in that same fashion. They also seem to have been inspired by the late Wes Craven's singular style of filmmaking, with his masterful use of interior spaces as the source of nightmares. One sequence, in which a character putters around in a kitchen, is filled with squeal-inducing traps and false alarms, and when the punch finally comes, it's well-earned.

The movie has lots of fun with the theory of the "re-quel," a movie that relaunches a franchise with fresh characters as well as "legacy" characters in smaller roles (see: Halloween, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Jurassic World). This new Scream is also steeped in the fictional movie-within-a-movie Stab franchise, with one superb scene featuring film buff Mindy enjoying watching it (actually the original Scream) on television. But this movie also understands and references "high-minded" horrors like The Babadook and Hereditary. Campbell, Cox, and Arquette provide a measure of emotional connection, and new character Samantha is interesting enough to go out on her own. In the final act, the filmmakers fumble their juggling act in a few small ways, but for the most part, this Scream is worth shouting about.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Scream's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

  • Is the movie scary? Does it concentrate more on fright, suspense/mystery, or clever references? What would make the movie scarier -- or less scary?

  • How does the movie depict teen drinking and drug use? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

  • What is a "meta movie"? Do the Scream movies benefit from being self-aware? What might be missing?

  • How has technology advanced since the fourth Scream movie (2011) or even the first (1996)? How is newer technology incorporated into the story?

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