# Scream 2 (1997)

### reviewed by
Homer Yen

    Yes!  You'll "Scream 2"
    by Homer Yen
    (c) 1997

Let me give you an example of just how deliciously nerve-racking this film is. As this movie opens, hundreds of patrons eagerly crowd into a theatre, which is premiering a movie called "STAB." It's an eerie Rocky Horror atmosphere as moviegoers don unsettling ghost-like masks and wield rubber knives. "STAB" is based on the Woodsboro murders and the series of events that transpired in the original SCREAM movie. 15 minutes into watching "STAB", a patron goes into the bathroom. The urinals are all being used by people wearing ghost-like faces. He is forced to use a stall. Bad decision. 15 minutes into watching SCREAM2, I had to go to the bathroom. There I stood...all alone...and I actually was afraid that I would feel a knife plunge through my back. Was this a strange case of life imitating art? It was definitely a disturbing feeling of deja vu.

The movie theatre incident causes several people to reunite, including Gale Weathers (Courney Cox), who penned the book that ultimately became "STAB"; Sidney (Neve Campbell), who was the intended target of the Woodsboro killings; and Deputy Dewey and geeky Randy (David Arquette and Jamie Kennedy), who were also lucky survivors. Sidney, now attending college, is also joined by her roommate, new boyfriend and other classmates and sorority sisters. It's deja vu for Sidney and her friends too. Under the assumption that this new killer is out to finish what ended in failure at Woodsboro, everyone works as fast as they can to try to figure out who the killer(s) is/are and his/her/their motive(s). Each one knows that they will become a target. Each one fears for their lives. But these are a smart bunch of people versed in the horror genre, and they make a valiant attempt to outwit the killer. But the killer(s) is/are also equally smart. And this time, the killer is more merciless, resourceful, and cunning.

I liked a lot of things about this sequal. The characters are three-dimensional and don't succumb to movie cliches. Women don't go upstairs by themselves to check out strange noises. There are no empty-headed bimbos. No one say's "I'll be right back", only to never return. Each character is smart and tries to take control of their own fate. The writing is witty and smart. Also, the look and feel of the movie takes the horror genre to an entirely different level. Though it is nothing more than a simple horror movie, it looks like an expensive movie with elaborate sets. Each scene is well-choreographed, nicely shot, terrifically edited and eerily scored, which delivers some real heart-pounding moments. You'll be scared, you'll be immensely enraged when some of your favorite characters become the next victims, and you'll root for the survivors, hoping that they'll succeed. There are also some terrific moments of levity to savor, such as the new boyfriend trying to convince Sidney that he is not the killer by doing a Tom Cruise impersonation and a wonderful, developing bond between the arrogant Gale Weathers and the meek Dewey, all the while the theme from Twin Peaks is playing in the background.

One of its greatest accomplishments is for making us want to know who did it and why? Unfortunately, its dénouement requires us, to some degree, to have seen the first movie. Nonetheless, this movie delivers in several satisfying ways, not the least of which is the fact that it's just a plain, old, fun movie to watch. It's not as genuinely frightening as the first one, but it remains fresh and exciting. Probably it's greatest feat, however, is that we have a sequel that is an equal to its original.

    Grade: B+

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