SCRE4M

Indian Express Rating: ***

THE Scream franchise prides itself on knowing its horror movie trivia. So here are some: How many times has Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) been stabbed or shot in the four Screams? Four. How many times has she escaped being stabbed? Five into four. Considering the movie makes no bones about the killings all being inspired by the original Woodsboro murders from Scream,you would think they would know by now that Sidney doesn’t die easy.

Particularly when dragged by her leg down the stairs,at which point she just kicks back and sends the Ghostface killer flying,lifts herself up and the next minute,is preparing a nice cup of leisurely coffee. On other nights,even as the killer is prowling outside – he/she always is – she steps out,to lovingly carress the wind chime.

Anyways,the Ghostface lets him/herself beaten constantly by Sidney,even as he/she slashes away at her friends and family,getting rid of them in generally one heave of the knife into the flesh,and out. No problems there at all,from getting the phone numbers of the victims to finding them all together for a party called ‘Stab-athon’.

Do you like the older,quieter,hair-up-in-a-bun Sidney,now playing elder cousin to teenagers such as one played by her in the three prequels? Yes. Campbell has that quality of quiet sorrow about her,and so even in her latest avatar of a writer who has come out with a bestseller to tackle being the subject of three serial killing sprees,she is surprisingly credible.

Cox is good too reprising the role of a former reporter still cashing in on her role in solving the Woodsboro murders and,married to Dewey who is now Sheriff,desperate to get back into the action. From plugging her “fame” to her “charm”,and even her whiplash tongue,she won’t stop at anything to get involved in the new investigation. With its numerous in-house movie jokes,which include predicting the murder sequence as would happen in a horror film,Scre4m is entertaining and adequately gory. However,as usual,it is the end that really takes the blood out of this film,implausible,barely explained,dragged out,and patchy.

The Scream team of director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson tries to laugh out even this one as another in-house joke about movies and endings,but in this case,it rings fake.

The Scream guys themselves once said,“The most terrifying scream is always the last.” No,Scream No. 4 definitely isn’t that.