As horror films, I don't think the Scream franchise has been that effective. They're generally not that gory (like the Friday 13th series) or that atmospheric (like the original Halloween series), but I do think they've been solid whodunnits and pretty effective in delivering tense stalk and slash sequences. Scream 4 is no different and is probably the best thing director Wes Craven has presented in a over decade.
Still using the post-modern, self-referential theme, Scream 4 now riffs off more contemporary Horror movie staples like referencing torture porn movies, the fact the bad guy can win and get away with it and, most importantly, that reboots are all the rage. So Scream 4 subverts the genre by becoming both a sequel, and a reboot, of it's own franchise. It does this by juggling the returning original cast (the wholesome Neve Campbell, the bitchy Courteney Cox and the dopey David Arquette) with a new cast of teens (Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere and Marielle Jaffe)which is rather a lot, but manageable, to keep track of.
There's some clever cameos, riffing off Drew Barrymore's iconic scene in the first Scream, from Lucy Hale, Kristen Bell, Anna Paquin as well as some more attractive, yet disposable, supporting cast members in Aimee Teagarden, Alison Brie and Marley Shelton. An ingenious use of existing Cox/Arquette marraige plays into the characters they play, as is Emma Roberts part of the younger, less famous cousin of a bigger celebrity (just as she is in Julia Roberts cousin in real life).
All in all it's an effective, solid thriller that does a pretty good job as a whodunnit, much like the original. In fact not only is it the best Scream movie since the first, but also director Wes Craven's best film since that same franchise starter. Of course, that's not saying much but it's still worth noting.
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