This is the sixth installment in the series and the first one released since 2013, and it definitely shows its age. The series began by playfully mocking horror movie clichés, but later evolved into a wider-ranging parody of popular culture. After the second film, the Wayans brothers left the franchise, which then took this more expansive comedic direction.
This family isn’t just starring in the new movie – they also wrote it! The films aren’t always masterpieces, and whether you enjoy them really depends on your taste in comedy and horror parodies. But at their peak, the original Scary Movie films could be surprisingly funny or even offer a clever observation.
The new Scary Movie is surprisingly disappointing. It has some funny moments and a promising idea, but it tries to do too much too quickly. This makes it hard to connect with the characters and leads to confusing side stories. While humor is always a matter of opinion, most of the jokes don’t quite hit the mark. Ultimately, the movie lacks focus and doesn’t deliver on its potential.
Scary Movie Wants To Have Cutting Comedy, But It’s Too Broad And Blunt
At its heart, Scary Movie playfully imitates the trend of horror sequels that followed the success of films like Scream and Halloween. When a new Ghostface killer emerges, going after the children of the original victims, Anna Faris’s Cindy, Regina Hall’s Brenda, Marlon Wayans’s Shorty, and Shawn Wayans’s Ray team up again to try and survive.
The movie is genuinely funny when it focuses on the younger characters, particularly Cindy’s daughters, Sara and Tuesday. They have some strong moments, even if their attempts at edgy humor don’t always land, and they poke fun at common tropes in modern horror films. Olivia Rose Keegan cleverly mimics Anna Faris’s distinctive delivery from the original movie, maximizing the comedic potential of references to Halloween and Scream. Faris, Hall, and the Wayans family effortlessly reprise their roles, with Faris delivering her signature dry wit and playing up the over-the-top “drama” for big laughs.
The humor in this is pretty uneven. While some jokes, like the opening sequence that spoofs Scream VI and references a recent Oscar nominee, are genuinely funny, others don’t land as well. Jokes about political correctness are inconsistent, and some characters, like Doofy, feel outdated and unnecessary.
The movie feels cluttered and doesn’t really give you a reason to care about what’s happening, even the funny parts. The storyline about Cindy and her daughters is the most developed and often the most enjoyable. It really comes together in the final act, delivering a genuinely funny joke about the current trend of revisiting classic horror films.
Scary Movie Never Quite Comes Together Like It Needs to
The main issue with the movie is its lack of focus. While all the Scary Movie films tend to wander, the first two at least managed to keep the main jokes and targets clear. This new one, however, often gets sidetracked with random gags and tries to cram in as many horror movie references as possible.
Movies like Terrifier, The Substance, Get Out, Sinners, and Longlegs receive shallow parodies that mostly fall flat. While references to franchises like John Wick are more successful, cleverly mixing humor with recognizable elements, these moments distract from the main characters. They often vanish from the story for extended periods, then reappear suddenly without explanation.
Ultimately, the movie feels directionless. Characters who seemed important to the film’s central parody quickly fade into the background. Even when the jokes are funny, they don’t leave a lasting impression. However, the film doesn’t really strive for more; Scary Movie is designed as a rapid-fire series of pop culture gags and references, and director Michael Tiddes focuses on ensuring the audience gets them.
Even a little bit of storytelling focus could have allowed this movie to playfully critique a major trend in the horror genre. Unfortunately, it suffers from the same problems that eventually made horror parodies less effective. Despite some funny moments, a dedicated cast, and a promising idea, Scary Movie ultimately doesn’t quite work.
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2026-06-04 20:16