Wolff rating: NOT BAD
Plot summary: It's a Scream movie---psychos on phones, classic slasher scenes redone, you name it.
Biased, pithy comments: ``Scream'' has become the ``Back to the Future'' of slasher films; the end of the second movie asked (screamed?) for a sequel. The actual execution (if you pardon the expression) of plodding through the du rigor (mortis?) scenes of dead blondes, head trauma, and chases is sometimes halfhearted, but continues to be fun and (due to rising budgets) contains some quality production and acting. I was scared now and then---Craven knows how to get you jumpin'. Still, it's not the same movie as the first (or even the second), but for Scream fans you gotta catch 'em all. Enjoy (especially some cute moments with Posey pretending to be Cox), but with the caution that you've seen better.
Other Notes: Is it me, or did this have some flubs? Editing on one of the throat-slashes clearly shows the knife not cutting the guy, McCarthy says ``Ronin'' instead of ``Roman'' when shouting into the office, and, say, a total lack of dialing 911 except once. The LAPD I know and love need only hear "Officer down! Officer down!" to show up in two heartbeats with lots of truncheons. DVD contains funny outtakes and behind-the-scenes montage, as well as a drab and lifeless ``alternative ending'' (it's the same one only more roughly edited and slower).
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, and Parker Posey, as well as lots of others.
Directed by: Wes Craven