I really cannot understand all these negative comments . Not only Scream 3 is quite good but it is the most decent finale that could ever be made for the Scream history . Why is it that you must always rush in to agree with the official critics and lambast the movies they want to bury ? What is so wrong with Battlefield Earth (IMDb rating 2.3) ? It is a decent enjoyable sci-fi movie . Yeah it is campy . So was the 5th Element (rating 7.0) . I like them both equally . What was so wrong about Batman and Robin despite the dumb one-liners ? Nothing not only the cast was wisely chosen but the action scenes were wonderfully chosen , sets , costume and make up were magnificent and save the Batgirl character , the origin of the others was kept intact . And don't even get me started about the butchering of the wonderful Speed II (rating 3.3 !!!!) . For God 's sake it is a big budget action rollercoaster with good SFX . OK OK , Dafoe and Patrick are more lackluster than their predecessors and the finale was over the top . Well so were all the action scenes in True Lies or even the Matrix !!!! Why must you always follow the dictates of the official critics . Why the praise should go to awful overrated films like Mission Impossible or Sixth Sense (rating 8.3 ?!?!?! COME OOOOON !) . Enough with the manifest . If you agree with me even partially then read this review . Scream 3 is an underrated film . It has some flaws but some of the critics were right . It is better than Scream 2 although not better than the original . This was to be anticipated . They had 3 years to plan it while Scream 2 was rushed into production shortly after the release of the original and was released less than one year later. The result was a carbon copy of Scream (albeit enjoyable one) . Did you know that in the original script of Williamson , the killer was Derek ? This time they had more time for process . I believe it was for the benefit of the film that the script was written by someone else , based on a format by Williamson . This gave the chance for our characters to evolve . Keep in mind that when I watched Scream 3 I already knew : 1) The identity of the killer 2) The motives of the killer 3) What happens in the opening sequence 4) The special trick the killer uses this time (I don 't want to give it away) 5) Jamie Kennedy 's post mortem appearance 6) The visions with Maureen Prescott 7) Who lives and who dies by the end . Still the movie surprised me , kept me hooked and satisfied me . That alone says enough .
OK PLOT SYNOPSIS TIME : It has been several years after the events of Scream 2 . Do not be fooled by the quote `I met Maureen Prescott 4 years ago' . If this was accurate then the time lapse between Scream 2 and 3 would be only 1 year . Sidney wouldn 't even have the time to graduate from college . `Stab 2' has already been released but the acceptance was mediocre. The basic cast was reluctant to return for yet another sequel but the producers went on to make a `Stab 3' , a semi-fictional movie based on the real living characters set in Woodsboro , in order to answer some questions about what eventually happened in the tragic bloodbath of 1996 . Meanwhile lets see what happened to the survivors . Sidney (Neve Campbell) has graduated from Windsor . She and her father live somewhere in the boonies . Sidney is convinced that she is still in jeopardy , so she has disappeared from the face of the earth . She works as `Laura' , a social advisor of a radio station , taking phone lines in her home and answers to people with various problems (abusing boyfriends etc) . She is tortured by visions of her deceased mother and believes the nightmare will never be over . There may be someone who still wants to kill her . Much like Laurie Strode in H20 her phobias will proven soon to be true . Gail Weathers (Courteney Cox) has changed the name of her show and still struggles to take the Pulitzer Prize. Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) has now his own talk show dealing again with social issues . His fame gave him success , celebrity , star power and he has a beautiful girlfriend Christine (Kelly Rutherford) . Dewey Riley (David Arquette) now works at the set of Stab 3 , as a technical advisor since he lived the experience himself . He has an affair with Jennifer Jolie (Parker Posey) , the actress who has played Gail Weathers in all 3 films . During the shooting of Stab 3 a new chain of murders occurs . The Ghostface killer strikes again and he kills the actors of Stab 3 , in precisely the same order their characters die in the script . Gail for once more arrives at the crime scene and teams up with Dewey in order to find the killer . The investigator of the case detectice Kinkaid , played by Patrick Dempsey is convinced that Sidney is the key to the solution and wants her to get out of her hide . The killer leaves pictures of Maureen after every killing and has obviously an unspecified link with the first carnage in Woodsboro . It is difficult however to find who will be the next to die , since the producers have come up with 3 different versions of the script in order to keep the plot from leaking to the Internet (something which happened in real life with Scream 2 and Scream 3 : another self referential irony by the writers). After the murders the producer John Milton (Lance Henricksen) has no other option but to cancel the filming , at least temporarily , while the police has sealed the set as a crime scene . The young and ambitious director Roman (Scott Foley) is losing his mind since this is the final strike in his newborn career . Predictably more murders will take place and the leads will try to save their lives as well as trying to shed some light in Maureen 's secret past .
Well the secondary characters serve no other purpose but to be killed . The only one which stands up from the crew is Parker Posey . Her disputes with Cox about who is the better Gail Weathers are hilarious and deliver some super bitchiness to the screen . Posey gives a great appearance. Unfortunately the rest are underdeveloped or even annoying (like the actress who plays `Sidney' in Stab 3) . This is a great minus . Fortunately , the writer Ehren Krueger makes up for some of the predictability of the script (especially in the final scenes) with some ironic lines 'Don't worry , we 're going to stick together' `Don't split up in this huge mansion' `Black characters never survive horror movies' . These people , as well as we the viewers , truly believe that these things happen only in horror films and we are not in danger . A classic example is the fax scene where a panicked character does the stupidest thing he could , due to his fear . Secondly there are a few plot holes : Most of the leads had cellular phones , why didn't they call the police ? Moreover , since the set is sealed and when a deranged killer is on the loose why do the actors of Stab 3 keep hanging around there , since they know they are in great jeopardy as the next targeted victims ? Did they want to `pick up their stuff' ? Sad excuse !!! I would also like to point out a factual error : the killer is shot REPEATEDLY and survives due to a bullet-proof vest he wears (don't consider this a spoiler : it will make you understand better what happened) . The truth is that this kind of collar can take just a few bullets but it is NOT A PANACEA and it is possible you will be injured and even with serious marks. Most probably if you take a bullet even with a vest you lose your conscience let alone six or seven bullets . I guess this is an ultra enforced and enhanced model hah ? It doesn't matter anyway . I can always accept a couple of plot holes . An important error by the writer is the déjà vu experience Sidney has in her `house' . I understand the point was a reliving of the fear but did we really have to endure a carbon copy of the original ? You should have at least shortened it Mr Craven . The visions with Maureen should be directed better with more haunting atmosphere.
These were the only faults I can give the film . All the other points are positive . Krueger did a wonderful job with our familiar characters . They have aged , but they have aged well and are not at all tired . Their chemistry is better than ever . I never liked Dewey but I rooted for him here . Arquette fortunately abandoned his `Doofus' mannerisms and retarded way of speaking . He is reliable and works as a serious protector . He and Cox give wonderful performances and their interaction is great . Campbell is now a grown woman and not a frightened student . She decides to come in terms with her fate and finally becomes an active character (again a similarity with H20 : no more pathetic screaming victims who run) . The screen time between the 3 leads is equal and this helps the movie not to be boring . All of them search for clues and keep the suspense. Parker Posey is also very good as Jennifer and Patrick Dempsey does fine in a non-geeky role . I am a great fan of Lance Henricksen and Liev Schreiber and they do not disappoint here as well . They shine in their small but effective roles . Kelly Rutherford is also welcomed here . Jamie Kennedy returns shortly as Randy and is cute but the best cameo is by Carrie Fischer in a surprise appearance . Despite the predictable victims the murder sequences are still effective and offer some surprises . The only problem is that Ghost-face is as not as scary as he was . Even Roger Jackson 's sinister telephone Voice isn't as menacing as it used to be . This was to be expected : after 2 movies Craven realized that the audience cannot be scared anymore . Therefore he did his best to make up . The psychological horror backsteps here but the interest is kept through the action scenes . This is the most action-packed of the Scream movies (and a horror movie generally speaking) . There are not only the routine chase scenes . The victims fight valiantly and there is a lot of bang-bang as well . From the opening sequence to the final hero-versus-villain showdown there are enough physical fights to keep you hooked . Craven is in top form and I don't give a damn about idiot libels .
I once said that Scream didn't need continuation chapters (read my comments on the first two movies if you 'd like) . I have changed my mind now . The revelations about Maureen and the re-attachment to the events of the first Scream make the movie worthwhile . The characters have matured and the film gives them and the story a perfect sense of closure . Ironically Arquette and Cox followed their characters' storylines ever since they met on the set of Scream . Life imitating art ? If you are a Scream completist do not hesitate for a second . Rent the final act and see the saga conclude (like the Star Wars trilogy) . Scream 3 is an enjoyable action / horror film which FINALLY does justice to its origins and will satisfy even the ones who were disappointed with the second part . I would also like to see some day a `Director 's Cut' with the rumoured 2 alternative endings. As it is , which is the final grade of the film ?
8 / 10
OK PLOT SYNOPSIS TIME : It has been several years after the events of Scream 2 . Do not be fooled by the quote `I met Maureen Prescott 4 years ago' . If this was accurate then the time lapse between Scream 2 and 3 would be only 1 year . Sidney wouldn 't even have the time to graduate from college . `Stab 2' has already been released but the acceptance was mediocre. The basic cast was reluctant to return for yet another sequel but the producers went on to make a `Stab 3' , a semi-fictional movie based on the real living characters set in Woodsboro , in order to answer some questions about what eventually happened in the tragic bloodbath of 1996 . Meanwhile lets see what happened to the survivors . Sidney (Neve Campbell) has graduated from Windsor . She and her father live somewhere in the boonies . Sidney is convinced that she is still in jeopardy , so she has disappeared from the face of the earth . She works as `Laura' , a social advisor of a radio station , taking phone lines in her home and answers to people with various problems (abusing boyfriends etc) . She is tortured by visions of her deceased mother and believes the nightmare will never be over . There may be someone who still wants to kill her . Much like Laurie Strode in H20 her phobias will proven soon to be true . Gail Weathers (Courteney Cox) has changed the name of her show and still struggles to take the Pulitzer Prize. Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) has now his own talk show dealing again with social issues . His fame gave him success , celebrity , star power and he has a beautiful girlfriend Christine (Kelly Rutherford) . Dewey Riley (David Arquette) now works at the set of Stab 3 , as a technical advisor since he lived the experience himself . He has an affair with Jennifer Jolie (Parker Posey) , the actress who has played Gail Weathers in all 3 films . During the shooting of Stab 3 a new chain of murders occurs . The Ghostface killer strikes again and he kills the actors of Stab 3 , in precisely the same order their characters die in the script . Gail for once more arrives at the crime scene and teams up with Dewey in order to find the killer . The investigator of the case detectice Kinkaid , played by Patrick Dempsey is convinced that Sidney is the key to the solution and wants her to get out of her hide . The killer leaves pictures of Maureen after every killing and has obviously an unspecified link with the first carnage in Woodsboro . It is difficult however to find who will be the next to die , since the producers have come up with 3 different versions of the script in order to keep the plot from leaking to the Internet (something which happened in real life with Scream 2 and Scream 3 : another self referential irony by the writers). After the murders the producer John Milton (Lance Henricksen) has no other option but to cancel the filming , at least temporarily , while the police has sealed the set as a crime scene . The young and ambitious director Roman (Scott Foley) is losing his mind since this is the final strike in his newborn career . Predictably more murders will take place and the leads will try to save their lives as well as trying to shed some light in Maureen 's secret past .
Well the secondary characters serve no other purpose but to be killed . The only one which stands up from the crew is Parker Posey . Her disputes with Cox about who is the better Gail Weathers are hilarious and deliver some super bitchiness to the screen . Posey gives a great appearance. Unfortunately the rest are underdeveloped or even annoying (like the actress who plays `Sidney' in Stab 3) . This is a great minus . Fortunately , the writer Ehren Krueger makes up for some of the predictability of the script (especially in the final scenes) with some ironic lines 'Don't worry , we 're going to stick together' `Don't split up in this huge mansion' `Black characters never survive horror movies' . These people , as well as we the viewers , truly believe that these things happen only in horror films and we are not in danger . A classic example is the fax scene where a panicked character does the stupidest thing he could , due to his fear . Secondly there are a few plot holes : Most of the leads had cellular phones , why didn't they call the police ? Moreover , since the set is sealed and when a deranged killer is on the loose why do the actors of Stab 3 keep hanging around there , since they know they are in great jeopardy as the next targeted victims ? Did they want to `pick up their stuff' ? Sad excuse !!! I would also like to point out a factual error : the killer is shot REPEATEDLY and survives due to a bullet-proof vest he wears (don't consider this a spoiler : it will make you understand better what happened) . The truth is that this kind of collar can take just a few bullets but it is NOT A PANACEA and it is possible you will be injured and even with serious marks. Most probably if you take a bullet even with a vest you lose your conscience let alone six or seven bullets . I guess this is an ultra enforced and enhanced model hah ? It doesn't matter anyway . I can always accept a couple of plot holes . An important error by the writer is the déjà vu experience Sidney has in her `house' . I understand the point was a reliving of the fear but did we really have to endure a carbon copy of the original ? You should have at least shortened it Mr Craven . The visions with Maureen should be directed better with more haunting atmosphere.
These were the only faults I can give the film . All the other points are positive . Krueger did a wonderful job with our familiar characters . They have aged , but they have aged well and are not at all tired . Their chemistry is better than ever . I never liked Dewey but I rooted for him here . Arquette fortunately abandoned his `Doofus' mannerisms and retarded way of speaking . He is reliable and works as a serious protector . He and Cox give wonderful performances and their interaction is great . Campbell is now a grown woman and not a frightened student . She decides to come in terms with her fate and finally becomes an active character (again a similarity with H20 : no more pathetic screaming victims who run) . The screen time between the 3 leads is equal and this helps the movie not to be boring . All of them search for clues and keep the suspense. Parker Posey is also very good as Jennifer and Patrick Dempsey does fine in a non-geeky role . I am a great fan of Lance Henricksen and Liev Schreiber and they do not disappoint here as well . They shine in their small but effective roles . Kelly Rutherford is also welcomed here . Jamie Kennedy returns shortly as Randy and is cute but the best cameo is by Carrie Fischer in a surprise appearance . Despite the predictable victims the murder sequences are still effective and offer some surprises . The only problem is that Ghost-face is as not as scary as he was . Even Roger Jackson 's sinister telephone Voice isn't as menacing as it used to be . This was to be expected : after 2 movies Craven realized that the audience cannot be scared anymore . Therefore he did his best to make up . The psychological horror backsteps here but the interest is kept through the action scenes . This is the most action-packed of the Scream movies (and a horror movie generally speaking) . There are not only the routine chase scenes . The victims fight valiantly and there is a lot of bang-bang as well . From the opening sequence to the final hero-versus-villain showdown there are enough physical fights to keep you hooked . Craven is in top form and I don't give a damn about idiot libels .
I once said that Scream didn't need continuation chapters (read my comments on the first two movies if you 'd like) . I have changed my mind now . The revelations about Maureen and the re-attachment to the events of the first Scream make the movie worthwhile . The characters have matured and the film gives them and the story a perfect sense of closure . Ironically Arquette and Cox followed their characters' storylines ever since they met on the set of Scream . Life imitating art ? If you are a Scream completist do not hesitate for a second . Rent the final act and see the saga conclude (like the Star Wars trilogy) . Scream 3 is an enjoyable action / horror film which FINALLY does justice to its origins and will satisfy even the ones who were disappointed with the second part . I would also like to see some day a `Director 's Cut' with the rumoured 2 alternative endings. As it is , which is the final grade of the film ?
8 / 10