Scream 3 (2000) *** [Scream Double Feature 2 Pt. 1]

Scream 3 (2000) had previously been the entry in the series that I liked the least but after this latest rewatch that's changed. It's still not as good as the first two entries (my reviews here and here), but as sequels go it's pretty solid.

This time around, series creator Kevin Williamson wrote an outline which was scrapped and writing duties fell to Ehren Kruger. I must admit, it shows—it's easy to spot that a different voice penned this installment. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the tone is certainly different. Part of the reason for that though was due to the Columbine High School massacre, which took place the year before the film was released. In response to increased public scrutiny regarding violence in media, emphasis was placed on comedy in Scream 3, and the violence and horror were reduced.

Wes Craven's stamp feels less present here than on the previous two films, as the direction feels pretty stock, but the dream sequences with Sidney's mom have a bit of that old school Wes/NOES flavor. Parker Posey is great, as always, but there are definitely a lot of extra dumb character decisions and a missed opportunity to more deeply explore the cursory themes of slut shaming, victim blaming, and sex crimes in the film industry.

You can find my Wes Craven Feature Films Ranked list here.

You can find my Scream Franchise Films Ranked list here.