This latest Scream is the first film in the series not directed by franchise creator Wes Craven, who died in 2015. But it remains true to the spirit of the franchise and brings back key cast, including Randy Jackson returning to voice Ghostface, with some quick cameos and voiceovers from actors that have been in the earlier films. I did find the violence to be a bit more brutal and gorier, and the language to be a bit saltier, so definitely not suitable for younger viewers. (Common Sense Media rates it 16+)

Like all of the Scream films, the story is essentially the same: A killer dressed in a Ghostface mask is terrorizing people of Woodsboro, California who are somehow associated with the events from the first film, taunting them on the phone—often discussing horror-movie-related trivia—before attempting to stab them to death. They also do a nice job of updating the tech to keep it current, like having smart-home door locks. And as always, there are certain rules that must be followed to survive, including the most important one: The first victim always has a friend group the killer is part of. 

Many of the film’s subtle references are about Stab, the fictional film-within-the-film based on the events that have transpired in Woodsboro. Here, Stab superfans are really upset over how the series has gone off the rails with the latest release, Stab 8.  As one character tells us, we’re in the middle of a “requel”—not quite a reboot, not quite a sequel. The movie has to be new, but not too new, and it has to be part of an ongoing storyline, having new main characters but supported by and related to legacy characters. Also, “It always, always goes back to the original.”

In this vein, we have a new group of youngsters being terrorized,  but as the killings continue, the old gang returns to set things straight. Dewey Riley (David Arquette) still lives in town, but after being stabbed nine times, resulting in permanent nerve damage and a funny little limp, he’s retired from the force. His ex-wife Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) is off in New York hosting a TV morning show and still chasing fame. And Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is married and raising a child with no intentions of ever returning to Woodsboro. 

Shot in 3.4K, images are consistently clean. Edges have nice definition and you can see textural details like the fine lines in Dewey’s corduroy jacket. While closeups have plenty of detail, letting you easily appreciate the differences between the smooth, near-poreless complexions of the “new” cast and the fine lines around Sidney’s eyes and the weathering and wrinkles in Dewey’s face, images were never tack sharp like some digital productions and felt more film-like.

The HDR isn’t overdone but does provide a realistic image, with some extra brightness when needed for the occasional bright lights. Outdoor scenes look terrific with loads of natural lighting, and you can clearly see the difference between the exterior lighting and the stark fluorescent overheads inside a hospital or the bright sunlight pouring in through sheer blinds. Blacks are nice and clean and blood-reds are appropriately saturated.

Horror movies are often the perfect playground for creative and immersive Dolby Atmos mixes, and while this Scream’s Dolby TrueHD mix isn’t over the top, it gets the job done and has some nice moments that certainly add to the tension, such as jump-scare music and ill-timed phones ringing. Outdoor scenes have plenty of atmospherics in the form of whistling wind, traffic sounds, and birds chirping, with the interior of the hospital sounding completely different with people chattering, phones ringing, the buzz of lights, and elevators dinging. During one scene, rolling thunder travels through the room overhead, and notice the clear sound of Dewey’s spent brass falling on the ground, bouncing and rolling.

Deep bass is called on to punctuate certain moments, such as adding sonic weight to door locks clunking into place or the deep throaty engine roar of a big muscle car firing up, and then the throbbing rumble and growl of it idling. Gunshots also have nice sharp dynamics. 

Scream/Stab is a “meta-slasher whodunit” and it kept me guessing up till the end about who was behind the mask. While there’s enough new here to keep noobs entertained, you should at least watch the original as it is still the freshest and most original of the bunch and lays the foundation for this Scream. And with a Scream 6 already greenlit, now is a great time to revisit Woodsboro. Just remember . . . trust no one!