The thing I most worried about upon seeing Scream 4 was that my giddy anticipation for the film would render any objectivity null and void. Thus, while I gather my thoughts to obtain my truly valid response to the film, let me give you some quick thoughts on it.
Some of the nagging issues I had with the previous sequels have been corrected with a cast that is much more fleshed out and relatable than the Ghostface fodder of before. This time, the characters are über-aware of horror films, both new and old, which results in interesting conversations but causes some of the surprise to dampen as even the characters are aware of what is to come.
The script is not as tight as the first and feels more intent on poking fun at the remake/reboot trend as well as the previous films in the series than breaking any new ground. There are some clever call backs to the original film as it tries to be a combination of continuation and reboot at the same time.
The returning cast of Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox are decent enough as they fall into old roles and relationships. Some of the newcomers, especially Jill Roberts and Hayden Panettiere, are strong in their roles and performances even if they are shafted some by the somewhat non-consequential presence of the returning leads.
The movie potentially comes off the rails in the third act; it is this that I am stuck on the most. The reveal of the killer is shocking but the motivation is not very good and smacks of insignificant whining like the end of the 3rd. Regardless, mostly it is fun and energetic (helped greatly by the expansion of the cast for once) and I can say for certain that it is far better than Scream 3 and at worst on par with Scream 2 which is not a bad consolation for a third sequel.
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