In 1996, Wes Craven’s modern horror classic Scream reinvented slasher films with its meta take on the genre, its unforgettable characters, and its iconic dialogue. The film gained praise due to its deconstruction of the horror genre and self awareness. 

However, this year’s new Scream, the latest attempt to modernize the franchise, only emulates a sliver of what made the original so special. 

This recent take attempts to be reminiscent of the 1996 original and its subsequent sequels, with its use of self-aware horror and comedy. However, it seems less like a continuation of the previous films than it does pure nostalgia-bate. 

As with all movies in this franchise, a new cast of characters is introduced while a core list of returning actors is maintained. The difference with this latest installment is that it focuses far less on establishing the cast than it does on the returning characters, leaving the audience with a rather uninteresting collection of new characters.

While the new characters are relatively dull, there are a select few that are notable. Aside from the returning cast members – including Neve Campbell, who reprises her role as the central protagonist, Sidney Prescott – newcomer Jenna Ortega gives one of the few memorable performances of this film. 

This new Scream also is lacking in arguably the most important aspect of any movie in this franchise. The humor, while present, makes the film seem like more of a parody than a genuine sequel to the 1996 original that made a name for itself through its clever satire. 

This film fails to cleverly mix humor and horror. Any moment that incorporates comedy seems to offset any threat to the characters, while the original was able to maintain a relatively serious tone, but undercut any moment with a laugh seamlessly. ` While it does manage to somewhat emulate the inner workings of a film in this franchise, the new Scream fails to live up to the aspects that made the original so memorable.