Ranking the Scream Films from best to worst
The “Scream” (1996-2023) series has aged like fine wine over time. Spearheaded by the duo of director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson (4 out of 6 films), it is (mostly) consistent, packed with memorable performances and unique segments that emphasize psychological horror blended together successfully with a well executed meta commentary on the slasher genre. At its best, “Scream” (1996) defined a generation. At its worst, it has still something to say and entertain and thus, we rank all the “Scream” films from worst to best!
5. Scream (2022)
Director: Matt Battinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
For all the hype that surrounded the release of “Scream 5” (or simply titled “Scream”), it did not do much to expand the mythology or offer creatively anything new. Besides respecting its creators and treating its legacy cast with care, “Scream” does not bolster any novel sequences and lacks tension. While the killings are more brutal and Roger L. Jackson’s voice can still be a joy five movies in, the primary focus on excessive (and unconvincing) meta-ness derails the story. Passing the baton to a new generation does not work quite as well as it did in “Scream 4”, missing memorable (and likeable) characters as blunt Gen Z archetypes are brought to life through mediocre acting. The killer reveal is not that inspiring either but after 26 years it is really hard to be surprised. So it’s up to our heroic trio (Campbell, Cox, Arquette) to give the film a much needed emotional boost, tying up their arcs in a meaningful way and expanding their beloved roles with appropriate nuance.
Best moment: A hospital face off is the closet thing part 5 has that can activate the adrenaline glens.
Scream VI (2023)
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Feeling more confident on the second “Scream” output, the Bettinelli-Olpin-Gillett dup managed to improve in their first sequel by focusing solely on the survivors of the previous film (and Gale). Despite wasting the opportunity of using the Big Apple for a Ghostface murder sandbox in the series’ worst opening sequence, there are some set pieces that are surprisingly tense; an attack within Gale’s flat will have you wondering whether she is going to bite it (finally?) while a ten station subway journey is sinister enough to make you think whether a stabbed person and in this case, a killer can be noticed amidst all this travelling chaos. Key problems remain though; the meta-commentary is not as sharp as it tries to be and feels irrelevant at this point while the lack of memorable (and likeable) characters really holds “Scream VI” back considering how the original broke the medium by introducing people who felt and acted real. Melissa Barrera’s Sam remains a poor Sydney clone although the script’s attempts to humanize her are welcome after her original and one dimensional characterization.
Best moment: A face off inside Gale’s flat is by far the best sequence in the entire film.
4. Scream 3 (2000)
Directors: Wes Craven
Despite being considered the worst of the franchise, time has been kind to the then-closing-part of the infamous slasher trilogy. Plagued with production problems -constant script rewrites, no Kevin Williamson, Campbell’s scheduling conflicts, it is a miracle that “Scream 3” was even made. Walking cliché characters that commit glaring horror mistakes and a goofier tone (with some solid cameos thrown in for good measure) strip the film from menace and while it might not be as aggressive or sharp as its predecessors, it has several commending elements; its attack on Hollywood’s attempts to capitalize on real life tragedies and a noble take on the mistreatment of upcoming starlets are highly relevant today; Parker Posey shines as Jennifer Jolie sharing the best scenes with Cox’s tacky reporter; a nightmare sequence is genuinely unnerving and the never ending list of suspects keeps you guessing at every turn till the underwhelming reveal.
Best moment: Ghostface attacks Jolie’s house with … explosive results.
3. Scream 2 (1997)
Director: Wes Craven
“Scream 2” got into production the moment the original proved a massive hit. With an expansive cast and a natural story progression from the Woodsboro town to a college setting, it has enough winning ingredients to make it a solid sequel. While the whodunit reveal might not be as impactful as the first one (nothing can beat THAT), Craven directs with oozing panache and gusto his likeable characters into various innovative Ghostface skirmishes that range from an edge-of-your-seat car escape to an attack to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Cici sorority sister. In a clever twist, the original film’s events have now become a cheap slasher movie (called appropriately “Stab”) providing the filmmakers with an excuse to poke fun at themselves simultaneously criticizing the inferiority of sequels and the rules they follow. Supported by excellent performances (e.g., Campbell is reigning supreme, Cox gets meaningful expansion), nice twists, an awesome sound design and a fantastic score by Marco Beltrami, this is a real winner that does not insult its origins and primarily does not forget how to entertain.
Best moment: Too many to chose from - but an extended verbal confrontation with Cici and a creeping-in-the-back-Ghostface is nightmare fuel.
2. Scream 4 (2011)
Director: Wes Craven
Following closely the quality of “Scream 2”, “Scream 4” came out swinging, a legacy sequel before this was the fashionable thing to do. It boasted the original trio along with a hippier group of Woodsboro high and film savvy seniors. Hayden Panettiere is a true standout as horror fan Kirby and despite some shortcomings (the film is rarely if not at all, scary), it remains a delightful murder mystery with a motive that plays well with today’s prevalence of social media. Craven retains mastery over staging unique set pieces in clever and subtle ways while the attempts of Williamson’s script to diss Hollywood’s trend of cheap horror remakes is spot on. Featuring (perhaps) the second best opening sequence in the franchise, an incredible solo acting moment by Panettiere, infectious humour and an amazing killer reveal, “Scream 4” proved that there is life in the series after the abrupt yet conclusive ending of part three. Sidney remains a classy and tragic character never derailing into unlikability, the audience’s surrogate for all the murder madness that is being unfolded exploring different aspects of her final girl with each segment.
Best moment: “Name the groundbreaking remake of..”
1. Scream (1996)
Director: Wes Craven
“Scream” reinvigorated the declining slasher genre with its witty and sharp script generating hundreds of knocks offs and copycats (e.g., “Urban Legends“ (1998), “Valentine“ (2001)). Williamson’s pen added a sophisticated meta angle in a string of films where individuals make dumb mistake after dumb mistake in order to sliced and diced. This time though, these mischievous teens for starters are likeable, feel authentic and know how to survive successfully a horror film. With a surprising emotional core, “Scream” treats the on-going murders as horrific events and not as something to cheer on; a tragedy if you will, that can shape an entire community. Neve Campbell brings enough vulnerability and appropriate ferocity to a now iconic role grounding the film in reality, while Cox and Arquette’s relationship mirrors their off-screen life story. Supported by a novel killer design, a fantastic (first) score by Marco Beltrami and moments of tension that subvert constantly our expectations, Craven is clearly having the time of his life shooting Williamson’s smart whodunit slasher mystery. He favours psychological horror instead of mindless gore that escalates in a cat-and-mouse 40 minute climax where we have to decipher the clues behind the killer’s identity. “Scream” is not an excellent horror film. It is one of the best films of all time.
Best moment: The opening scene that redefined an entire genre and marked a generation.