Scream 4

This morning I saw Scream 4, starring Neve Campbell and David Arquette.

There are sequels that forever ruin beloved characters and there are sequels that spark a nostalgic feeling that makes you happy to be in the room with the characters again. Thankfully, Scream 4 falls into the latter category.

The main three survivors of the Woodsboro murders, Sydney Prescott (Campbell), Dewey Riley (Arquette) and Gale Weathers-Riley (Courteney Cox) have all moved on. Dewey has been promoted to sheriff; Gale has retired from reporting to write books full time; Syd's just completed her memoir and she's ending her book tour in her home town.

Syd's cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) is a popular teen who wants no part of the fan fare surrounding her famous cousin's return. When copycat murders begin to happen, she and her friends are thrust into high alert thinking their turn to die may be next.

This installment in the series feels most like the first. The quick-wit dialog and younger actors commanding the story works just as it did in the original, with the famous three acting as elder statesmen throughout.

It's admittedly awkward to see David Arquette and Courteney Cox weather troubles in their marriage on-screen as the world now knows they were doing in reality at the time of the filming. But they still bring their A game to their characters and the original chemistry is evident.

It's hard to say more about this one without spoiling it, so I will just say this: if you liked the original film (and maybe even the second), you're bound to be entertained by the sharp dialog and fast pace of the fourth. The ending is good too.

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