Hi all!

Today I am back with another horror franchise ranking! I die-hard love this series. It is extremely meta; purposefully pointing out the rules of scary films, whilst poking fun at itself. Each instalment features a group of friends, targeted by masked killer, Ghostface. There is always a big reveal at the end, with plenty of victims along the way. The first four were directed by Wes Craven. Sadly, he passed away before getting a chance to work on the reboot. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Spoilers ahead!

1.) Scream 

In first place, we have the original Scream. In 1996, this epic slasher was born. A year after her mother’s death, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends, begin receiving ominous phone calls from a person threatening to kill them. After one teenage girl is murdered, the police struggle to discover who is responsible, focusing first on Sidney’s boyfriend Billy and then Sidney’s father. As the media begins to swarm over the story, Sidney struggles to trust everyone around her. It’s fun, campy and incredibly meta. Scream does not take itself too seriously. Having said that, the deaths are really intense. There is a lot of blood and gore. I love the twist ending, with two Ghostface killers, instead of just one. Not to mention, Sidney punching Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) in the face and the adorable introduction of Dewey (David Arquette). It also has one of the best opening scenes, featuring Drew Barrymore. Wes Craven himself makes a quick cameo as the school’s janitor, dressed in a Freddy Kreuger costume. It is top of most people’s lists for a reason. What’s your favourite scary movie?

2.) Scream 2

In second place, we have the sequel. Two years after the events of the first film, Sidney Prescott is studying at college. She is surrounded by friends and even a new boyfriend. The past seems to be behind her, until a copycat Ghostface begins a new murderous rampage. There are so many fantastic moments in this movie. The Stab movie premiere opening scene is insane. Watching Jada Pinkett Smith’s character get stabbed to death in the middle of a cinema, surrounded by people dressed as Ghostface, had me gasping the first time I saw it. I also love the stand-off in the auditorium, where once again, we are presented with two killers. They were definitely going for a Friday the 13th reference, having Billy Loomis’s mother as the villain. My only critique is I wish Randy Meeks had survived. He was the expert on horror movies. I was so crushed when he died. Overall, a solid follow up to the original and much beloved by me.

3.) Scream (5)

In third place, we have what I call like to call Scream 5. This is the latest film in the franchise. I was lucky enough to see an early screening of it and boy, did I love it! 25 years after the streak of brutal murders that shocked Woodsboro, a present-day killer dons the Ghostface mask, targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past. Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers and Dewey return, helping a new generation of victims survive. You can tell this instalment was not directed by Wes Craven. It’s much darker than all the other films. Not to mention, the gore and blood spatter was full on. It’s also the most self-aware movie in the series yet. It references many horror tropes and previous films in the franchise. Hardcore fans will be very happy. They even play Red Right Hand by Nick Cave, which is featured across the saga. I will say, it hurt so much seeing Dewey die. I was worried one of the OG’s wouldn’t make it and I was right. However, it more than made up for it, by the great reveal at the end and fantastic opening scene. It truly impressed me.

Update: Here is where I would rank Scream 6. You can read my review here. 

4.) Scream 4

In fourth place, we have Scream 4. Many years have passed since the Ghostface killer cut a deadly path through the town of Woodsboro. In order to process the trauma of those horrific events, Sidney Prescott has written a self-help book. She returns to her birth place for the book tour, reconnecting with old friends, Gale Weathers and Sheriff Dewey. However, Sidney’s arrival also sparks the revival of the masked murderer, putting her and everyone she loves in danger. I didn’t connect with this one as much, but I did love the character of Kirby (Hayden Panettiere). The scene where she believes she won the horror movie trivia is so good! The twist ending was also quite shocking. I did not anticipate Emma Roberts (Sidney’s cousin), was behind it all. It was the lowest grossing film in the franchise, but definitely not my least favourite.

5.) Scream 3

In last place, we have Scream 3. This movie is the lowest on my list because of Courtney Cox’s awful haircut. Just kidding! Although let’s be real, it was horrible. This instalment takes place in Hollywood, where Stab 3 is being shot. Gale Weathers and Dewey are working on the set as advisors. Unfortunately, a killer decides to off the cast, in order of the screenplay and only Sidney Prescott, now in hiding, can solve the mystery. Let’s start off with what I liked. I enjoyed the film within a film vibe. It was fun seeing the ‘actors’ play the characters we love, in a tongue in cheek manner. The reappearance of Randy in video form, made my heart happy as well. Now for the negatives. Keep in mind, these are minor issues. For one, the reveal was very soap opera-ish. I know it was meant to be, but for the first time, the killer didn’t feel believable. It just felt dramatic for drama’s sake. Secondly, we learn in this movie that Sidney’s mother was raped by the director of Stab 3. This was very off-putting, because in the credits of the actual film, Harvey Weinstein’s name is credited. Knowing what he did, it seemed quite tactless to attach him to a story with the same indiscretions. I didn’t love it as much as the others, but it was still good.

Update: Here is where I would rank Scream 7. You can read my review here. 

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank the Scream franchise?

Peace & Love xoxo