Apparently hoping to atone for the debacle of last year’s entry into the franchise, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett return and move the goings-on to the Big Apple. Turns out, it may be all that was needed. Upping the blood and gore certainly helps the film return to its roots, too, but there are also plenty of other nice callbacks to the original here. Courtney Cox may be the only remaining face from the cast of the 1996 classic, but Melissa Barerra and Jenna Ortega have both picked up the mantle admirably. It’s still not as fresh and fun as the first, but the sixth installment feels more like a homecoming than a ‘Scream’ movie has in years.
3.5/5 stars