The idea of a requel is a brilliant one andScreamfans are still talking about the well-crafted, fascinatingScream (2022). The film merges the events of the previous four films with teenage characters who are being chased by a new Ghostface, and beloved characters Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, and Dewey Riley are back on the case, too.
While the talented young actors do a great job and the movie has made fans excited for the upcomingScream 6, as it has proven that there is still a lot to do with this horror franchise, it’s fair to say that there is one part ofScream (2022)that fans don’t enjoy.
RELATED:5 Most Anticipated Horror Movies Of 2022
Audiences are pleased withScream (2022), and while it’s easy to guess that Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) is Billy Loomis’s daughter and that this has caused her pain and suffering over the years, this reveal still works. Unfortunately, there’s something else about this film that doesn’t work very well: when Sam starts seeing Billy’s ghost. This happens while she’s at the hospital hoping that her younger sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) will be okay after being attacked by Ghostface and also when Sam is driving in her car.
Sam’s visions of Billy’s ghost feels wrong and off when compared to the rest of the movie. AlthoughScreamis a meta horror movie franchiseand there are always great references to other films within the horror genre, there seems to be no good reason to include Billy’s spirit. The worst thing about these scenes is that it reminds fans of when, inScream 3, Sidney looks outside the window and sees her mother Maureen Prescott’s ghost wandering around outside in a white nightgown. It’s corny, not terrifying, and audiences rejected this immediately.
When a movie character sees the ghost of a loved one, or has a nightmare in the case of Sidney inScream 3, it’s meant to tell audiences that they are haunted by the emotions that they feel regarding this person’s tragic death. But in both movies, Sam and Sidney think about their lost parents all the time. Sam wishes that she had a different father and that she could have had an easier life as a result, and Sidney misses her mom and wishes that Maureen’s story had much happier. These things are super clear to fans so showing Billy and Maureen’s ghosts feels unnecessary.
It’s also possible to say thatScream (2022)is a movie that feels fairly grounded in reality. It makes sense that there would beGhostface killerswho are following in the footsteps of the others and that Sidney can’t think that her life will continue on the easier, happier path that she has been on for a while. Sam and Tara’s story is emotionally driven and helps ground the film, as fans want to see these sisters getting along again, and audiences care about them surviving these horrific events. Sidney, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) have always felt like realistic characters as well and the same thing is true in this new film, as they navigate their lives despite the bad memories and constant threat of Ghostface. Topics like work, family, marriage, and hopes and dreams are brought intoScream (2022)and it’s not just all about the murders taking place. Including Billy’s ghost really takes audiences out the story.
In aninterview withEntertainment Weekly, co-directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Betinelli-Olpin spoke more about the Billy scenes. Betinelli-Olpin said, “Turns out Skeet Ulrich is aging super super-well and is a really good-looking guy! But we loved the idea that Billy is trapped in time, and he would look and sound like [he did in the originalScream]. We even pitched his voice a little bit to put him back in time as much as possible without breaking [into] that uncanny valley feel.”
Horror fans love seeing Jenna OrtegainScream (2022)and the younger characters are an awesome addition to the franchise. But while fans can seeGale Weathers as a final girlreturning to the franchise, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to see Billy’s ghost. The movie would still work perfectly without it, and audiences would still understand that Sam feels strange about Billy being her father. Sam has always felt ashamed knowing that she is the daughter of a killer and it makes sense that she wouldn’t want Tara to know about it.
There aren’t many wrong moves in the horror franchise’s latest movie. While it’s possible to seeDewey’sScream (2022)death as a mistake, and fans will miss him so much, the new movie is smart, fun, entertaining, exciting, and holds audience attention. Fans can definitely ignore the cheesy inclusion of Billy Loomis’s ghost and enjoy the rest of the story.
