Scream 3

This is underrated. Speaking as someone who didn't used to like it much. Yeah, the script isn't as strong as the first two (Kevin Williamson didn't write it) but it did a few things that I think made the movie feel necessary and worthwhile.

The first thing was for Sid to scream at Roman that he's a killer because he chooses to be, and that he should take a little effing responsibility in his life. I love the rare occasions in fiction where a character tries to get another character to take responsibility for their own poor behavior. In a horror movie to the killer? I adore it.

I also really thought it was cool that Sid worked as a hotline operator for a crisis center. That is a good place to put her. I also like the ending where Sid walks away from the open door smiling, which says that fear will no longer rule her life. It felt right.

The truth is, the jokes in the film were not as biting or meta (especially by only giving Randy one posthumous scene) and I wasn't ever scared either. But I feel like the movie took extra pains to have emotional resonance and make things matter a little bit more. I know there are future sequels, but this would have been a good stopping point.

My impression was favorable. ***1/2.