Scream 7 Review: Watchable, But Plays It Too Safe

Genre – Horror
Director – Kevin Williamson
Writers– Screenplay – Kevin Williamson, Guy Busick – Story – James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick
Cast – Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Anna Camp, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Tim Simons, and Joel McHale
Release Date – February 27th, 2026
Runtime – 114 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆☆

Scream 7 mostly felt like polite franchise work that’s just feels a little too tired.

Being old enough to remember watching the original Scream on the big screen back in 1996, I have always had a love hate relationship with the franchise.

It’s been getting more tiresome and stale as time goes on, but I keep coming back to it as you know with any Scream film, even the bad ones have some fun to be had.

Plot Summary of Scream 7 (Spoiler-Free)

Sidney Prescott is older now, and she’s a mother, running a small-town café, and going by Mrs. Evans, where sife seems quieter than the chaos she’s known, until Ghostface returns – this time, the terror doesn’t just target her – it circles her daughter, Tatum, who is seventeen.

The movie follows a familiar pattern, with Ghostface calls that mix threats, taunts, and that classic distorted voice, and the mystery of who’s under the mask unfolds with the usual red herrings, a reveal that is meant to tie everything together.

Scream 7 Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Scream 7 is neither really bad nor is it good – it’s watchable, and that’s probably the nicest things I can say about it, as some parts worked, some parts were exhausting, and overall it feels like a film trying really hard to be familiar without daring to be interesting.

If I’m being honest, the best moments were whenever Sidney was on screen, as Neve Campbell still owns the role, and I can’t stress enough how much she carries the film, especially when she’s paired with Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers, there’s actual chemistry and a spark that reminds you why the series mattered in the first place.

The problem is, the rest of the movie doesn’t match that, as the younger cast is forgettable, mostly just filling the usual slasher beats: bickering, flirting, and wandering into the wrong room – and yes, you don’t need character depth in this type of film of course, but you have to feel something, right?

Some of the kills themselves though are staged well enough, and that will be enough for many, again, especially for this type of film, but for me, it just felt like too much of a well trodden path – expecting what is going to happen without actually being surprised at all.

There’s also the franchise’s trademark of self-awareness, as Scream has always been clever about horror rules, which used to feel sharp, and funny, whereas now it’s just a YAWN effect – it even includes a line about nostalgia being the new rule, which sums up the movie perfectly – the jokes are limp, the cleverness is mostly gone, and it feels like the film is going through the motions.

We also get Kevin Williamson back in the directors chair, and like many, that had me intrigued and excited, as he knows this world, but the direction again feels too safe, and cautious, where scenes unfold exactly as you expect, with again, very few surprises – it’s competent I would say, but safe to the point of being forgettable.

And speaking of predictable, the big reveal of Ghostface? I won’t spoilt it of course, but it’s not great, that is fair to say, and is another tired yawn moment, like a lot of the film.

Despite all this, it does have its moments, as some of the kills are fun, and the history between Sidney and Gale gives the film small pockets of life, but for the most part, the movie doesn’t push the envelope, and it doesn’t make you care about anyone new on screen – it’s a movie built to please fans, and check off franchise boxes, and as mentioned above, that might be enough for some.

What’s most frustrating though is that the franchise used to feel like it was playing with you, like it was aware of itself but also bold enough to twist expectations, but now, while the self-awareness is there, it’s routine, and instead of winking at you, it just shrugs and moves on.

It’s not unwatchable, as even a poor Scream film has enough moments to make it somewhat fun, but it is just tiresome by now, even ignoring the plot/motivation issues, I wanted it to bring something a bit fresh to the table, and dare I say it, but it’s somewhat becoming a bit of a parody of itself.

The self-awareness that once made the franchise sharp, now just feels all too routine and dull.

What I Liked (And What I Didn’t Like)

What I Liked

Neve Campbell

She still owns the role and carries the movie.

Some well-staged kills

Certain deaths are fun enough.

Competent technical work

Cinematography, lighting, and sound are solid enough.

What I Didn’t Like

Safe, predictable direction

Kevin Williamson returns, but it feels too cautious and uninspired.

Weak younger cast

Most of the teens are forgettable.

Killer reveal underwhelming

Oh dear.

Self-awareness feels tired

Most of the jokes just land far too limply.

Over-reliance on nostalgia

The film leans too heavily on nostalgia.

Frustratingly routine

It rarely risks anything new.

Who Might Like Scream 7

• Fans of the original Scream series
• People who appreciate returning characters and nostalgia
• Fans of Neve Campbell
• Those who like murder mysteries with red herrings
• Anyone who enjoys comfortingly familiar horror tropes

Who Might Dislike Scream 7

• Fans who dislike predictable plotlines
• Anyone turned off by overused nostalgia
• Those looking for clever or sharp horror humor
• People who don’t enjoy safe, formulaic direction
• If you will get annoyed by underwhelming killer reveals

Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching Scream 7?

Scream 7 is safe, predictable, and mostly tired, but it has some moments that work, and you know what you are getting with a Scream film, but at the 7th installment, I was hoping for something a bit more, as all it did was remind me how this franchise really needs to end, or be put in new hands.

If you’re a fan of the franchise, you’ll likely find enough to warrant a watch, though.

Scream 7 Trailer

Simon Leasher

A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More

And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.