Two friends find themselves caught up in mayhem involving killers, monsters, and supernatural creatures once again.
I was a huge fan of “Scary Movie” and “Scary Movie 2.” The Wayans Brothers had their fingers on the pulse when it came to comedy, and the first movie became a massive blockbuster, grossing over $278 million worldwide against a budget of $19 million. After the success of “Scary Movie 2” in 2001, the Wayans Brothers stepped away from the series, and the franchise, as a whole, began its gradual decline, at least in terms of R-rated humor (Parts 3, 4, and 5 were all rated PG-13).
Now that they are back, as well as its R-rating, I had high hopes that it would bring back the magic of the first two films, but sadly, that didn’t happen. While there are a few chuckles throughout, the laugh-out-loud, raunchy, crude humor and absurd slapstick evident in parts 1 and 2 have sadly shifted away from mainstream Hollywood films and appear to be a thing of the past, with the style itself migrating to streaming platforms and niche indie productions.
The new movie’s primary plot incorporates “Scream” (2022), “Scream VI”, and the new HALLOWEEN trilogy, while also integrating elements of more recent horror flicks such as “Sinners,” “Ma,” “Longlegs,” “Terrifier,” “The Substance,” “M3GAN,” and many more. This time around, Cindy, Brenda, Shorty, and Ray are forced back together after a new masked slasher targets them. The group has to deal with their grown lives and those of their children, while facing a new wave of terror.
“Scary Movie,” like its predecessors, is a straight-up parody, so there is no strict narrative logic; instead, it favors chaotic spoofing for the entire runtime, occasionally slipping back into what little cohesive narrative it does have. The humor is underwhelming compared to the original two films, while the pacing is uneven, relying too much on random pop-culture references rather than cohesive jokes.
I so badly wanted to like “Scary Movie.” I was delighted that the original cast, Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, and Shawn Wayans, were all returning in their respective roles, and while they bring the same zany energy they did to parts 1 and 2, the film’s lack of narrative direction undermines their performances. While Marlon Wayans stated that there are no official plans for a “Scary Movie 7,” he has teased ideas for a potential sequel. If they do move ahead with one, I hope it’s better than this iteration. If you’re a die-hard fan of the series, specifically the first two, you’ll be sorely disappointed, but you will get a few chuckles along the way. Unfortunately, I wanted more than that.
Available on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD September 22nd
