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The role of Deputy Perkins is played by Anthony Anderson. Anderson appeared in several of the "Scary Movie" sequels. The original Scary Movie was a spoof of the "Scream" films.
The Scream series revitalized the horror genre, combining all the great elements of a slasher film with comedy, something rarely seen at the time. So far Wes Craven has successfully directed three films but it’s been over 10 years since Scream 3 hit theaters. Can he once again bring back the humor back or should the series have remained slashed?
Scream 4, or SCRE4M, reunites the classic cast of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette to once again fend for their lives from the knife-wielding masked Ghostface. After being away for so long, Sidney Prescott (Campbell) returns to the small town of Woodsboro to promote her new self-help book. It just so happens that this is around the same time as the murders that occurred all those years ago. Apparently not everyone is happy with her return because someone has revived Ghostface and is terrorizing the town with new murders.
What made the Scream films so unique is the fact that they weren’t afraid to make fun of themselves. They took all the cliché aspects of the horror genre and turned them upside down. Scream 4 continues that tradition. In fact, the film is closer to a comedy than a horror. Sure, there are a few jumps and surprises in store but for the most part, you’ll find yourself laughing. What makes things different this time around that that the series is more geared towards the younger generation.
Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Nico Tortorella, and Rory Culkin join the cast to usher in a new audience. Times have changed and so has Scream. Don’t worry though because the same stuff that made the originals great are still present.
Ghostface is the star attraction of the film with Roger L. Jackson reprising his role as the familiar voice. Many of the kills you see pay tribute to the originals but take things to the next level with more blood and better effects. Fans of the series will get a kick out of all the references (trust me, there are a lot) while new audiences won’t find any difficultly jumping right in.
Scream 4 will keep you guessing about the identity of the murderer until the very end. It’s very different than your typical horror film and while that may not be for everyone, it’s something different. I would have liked to see more scare tactics but the comedy is more than satisfying. Look out everyone, because the Scream franchise is back and while it's not as groundbreaking as the first in the series, it's a worthy addition.
- Review by Matt Rodriguez
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