review by Josh Keown Pro
Scream 2 1997
Rewatched Jul 26, 2012
Josh Keown’s review:
"It's a perfect example of life imitating art imitating life."
-Mickey (Timothy Olyphant)
Part 2 of the Scream Quartet Quest!
Although it doesn’t come close to matching the sheer brilliance of its predecessor, Scream 2 is still a sufficient sequel. Once again, the satirical jokes and references appear in abundance, but the original succeeded because the witticism was seamlessly blended with a believable, thrilling plot. Unfortunately, such is not the case here. Although Williamson’s script and Craven’s direction maintain that biting sardonicism, the story is often overblown with many scenes bearing far too many similarities to those in the first Scream.
That being said, much that worked previously does so again in this entry. Like before, it opens with a brilliant prologue sequence. Where in the original, Drew Barrymore’s Casey encountered an untimely death, here we are treated to a cinema screening of Stab, the film within a film adaptation of Sidney Prescott’s ordeal. Following this terrific beginning, the plot is very much the same affair as the first, with the cycle of murders renewed and Sidney the key target.
All the cast from the original reprise their roles and are great once more. Neve and Jamie return on sterling form as survivors Sidney and Randy, whilst Courteney and David are brilliant as the tag team of reporter Gail and policeman Dewey. The characters and their respective relationships are developed further in this entry, so that you’re constantly rooting for them to beat Ghostface. The new additions to the cast do well too, with Jerry O’Connell as boyfriend Derek and Timothy Olyphant as fellow student Mickey.
Overall, it’s not too bad, especially compared to the quality of some sequels. Craven shows his usual skill behind the cameras, and Williamson delivers another excellent script to complement a nice cast. Lacking in novelty, yet still inventive and imaginative enough to hold interest.
VERDICT; A more than ample successor that holds up on its own. Whilst not as ground-breaking as the original, the guessing game whodunit and unexpected twists make it an enjoyable sequel.
3/5 or 6/10
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