Scream 5 is the best thing that could have happened to this franchise. Twenty-five years after the original, with Wes Craven gone and the series seemingly finished, Radio Silence stepped in and made something that is not just a worthy continuation but a brilliant piece of horror filmmaking in its own right. It understands what made the original great, it understands what the franchise means to its audience, and it uses both of those things to deliver something that is simultaneously a love letter to Scream and a fresh entry in the series. Remarkable.
At a Glance
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Radio Silence)
Runtime: 114 minutes
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jack Quaid
Release: 2022
Critics Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars, the franchise's finest since the original)
Audience Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars, a landmark of the franchise)
Review Breakdown
Plot
A new Ghostface targets teenagers in Woodsboro, drawing Sam Carpenter, the illegitimate daughter of Billy Loomis, back to town along with the original survivors. The requel concept, a film that is simultaneously a sequel and a soft reboot, is used with real intelligence: the film is aware of what it is doing without ever becoming smug about it. The villain reveal is the franchise's most satisfying since the original, with a motivation rooted in toxic fandom and the entitlement of legacy audiences that is both funny and deeply disturbing.
Characters
Melissa Barrera's Sam Carpenter is the franchise's finest new lead since Neve Campbell's original Sidney, a character of real psychological complexity whose status as Billy Loomis's daughter gives the film its most interesting dramatic thread. Jenna Ortega's Tara is an immediate fan favourite, and the sister dynamic between the two gives the film its emotional core. The return of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey is handled with real warmth and dramatic consequence, particularly in Dewey's case, and the original trio's presence feels earned rather than nostalgic.
Tone
Radio Silence nail the tonal balance that Scream 3 fumbled and Scream 4 restored: funny, scary, and smart. The film's commentary on toxic fandom and the entitlement of legacy audiences is sharp and pointed without being preachy, and the horror sequences are staged with a physical intensity and spatial intelligence the franchise had not achieved since Scream 2.
Direction
Radio Silence's direction is confident, inventive, and clearly made by people who love the franchise and understand what makes it work. The Ghostface sequences are the franchise's most physically intense since the original, and the film's pacing is excellent throughout. Brian Tyler and Christopher Lennertz's score builds on the established themes with real energy.
Cultural Reception
Scream 5 was a major critical and commercial success, exceeding expectations and proving that the franchise had genuine life beyond Craven. It is now widely regarded as the franchise's finest entry since the original and one of the best horror films of the 2020s. Jenna Ortega's performance in particular became a cultural moment, and the film's commentary on toxic fandom resonated strongly with audiences and critics alike. It revitalised the franchise and set up a new generation of characters with enough depth to carry it forward.
Who Should Watch
Everyone. Scream 5 works as a standalone film, as a sequel to the original, and as a commentary on franchise culture. One of the best horror films of recent years, full stop.
Final Verdict: The franchise's finest entry since the original and one of the best horror films of the 2020s. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega are outstanding, the villain reveal is the series' best since 1996, and Radio Silence's direction gives the whole thing a wit and a craft the franchise had not seen in years. Scream 5 is the real deal.
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