Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie Review

I scre1m, you scre2m, we all scre3m 4 Scre4m.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 13, 2011

What's your favorite scary movie?

When it's all said and done, what will be Director Wes Craven's cinematic legacy? There's really only two choices: the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and the Scream franchise. Considering the former helped shape a decade of Horror, introduced one of the genre's most iconic figures, and spanned who knows how many sequels, tie-ins, and crossovers, it's hard to argue that Nightmare won't be his most cherished and best-remembered work. But then there's Scream. Craven's directed all four pictures in the series. They're far more tame than Nightmare and the masked "killer" isn't quite as instantly recognizable as Freddy, but there's something to be said for a Horror series that's all about Horror/Slasher movies, whether living them, making them, or recognizing the predefined "rules" that shape most every one of them. It's a series that both defines and embodies the genre right down to a science. Whereas Nightmare and just about every other Horror picture are wholly works of fiction, Scream and its sequels blur the line between fantasy and reality, yet still exist within a completely imaginary world. Movies-in-movies, self-aware characters, a total understanding of how the genre works, and playing into all the clichés while never seeming at all as if unoriginal or uninventive -- because it's not -- all make Scream and its sequels a standard for genre originality while still holding firmly onto convention. That's far more impressive than even Freddy Krueger, his tattered sweater, those frightening finger blades, and even the blurring between the living and the dreaming worlds. Come to think of it, maybe that's Craven's great legacy: the filmmaker whose two most impressive outings exist in their own two interconnected reality/fantasy worlds that up the ante and make for far more involved stories with nearly limitless potential. Wes Craven, world's most imaginative filmmaker?

What is this, a Nightmare on Elm Street movie? So much blood!

You do a remake to outdo the original.

Stab mania has hit fever pitch. The franchise is up to part six -- scratch that, part seven -- and even though part five involved time travel and wasn't very good, the franchise is running strong and raking in the dollars. Even ten years since the Sidney Prescott murders that inspired the Stab franchise seemed to come to an end, her legend and the fictional world that's evolving from it seems to know no stopping point. Ten years is a long time, and it's been long enough for even the physically and, to a far greater extent, emotionally scarred Sydney (Neve Campbell) to move on from the murders that have defined her past. She's written a tell-all book that's more about her own personal journey and therapy than it is about sales and movie deals, and as the final piece of her recovery puzzle she's returning back to where it all started -- Woodsboro -- to promote her book one last time. Unfortunately, her arrival home has unintended but not exactly startling consequences: people start turning up dead. It's not long until Sidney's younger cousin, Jill (Emma Roberts), herself becomes a target of the killer. Sydney and Jill fall under the protection of now-sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and his spunky young deputy, Judy (Marley Shelton). Meanwhile, the now-Mrs. Dewey, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), retired from true-crime writing and sensationalism television reporting, finds herself on the outside of the case but eager to lend her services to solving the crime. Unfortunately, it looks as if the killings aren't following the predicted paths, and it's up to Woodsboro High's new resident Horror film buffs -- Charlie (Rory Culkin) and Robbie (Erik Knudsen) -- to set the stage for what's coming next. Of course, in Woodsboro, everyone's a suspect, nothing is as it seems, and nobody is safe from a new generation of crazed killer.

The death of horror right here in front of us.

Speaking of "world's most:" is Scre4m the world's finest Horror sequel? It's actually something else that exists beyond a sequel, but to call it other than a "sequel" would be to give away much of the fun and surprise that Craven and Writer Kevin Williamson have in store. But back to just how good this thing really is. Scre4m's -- and the series's -- cleverness never ceases to amaze. The picture walks that fine line that its predecessors -- notably the original -- mastered, and does so with its chest out, back straight, and head high, never once afraid of veering off or falling completely off the path, as windy and unpredictable as it may be. Craven's picture has so much fun being self-aware that it confidently pokes fun at other self-aware Horror movies: itself, Stab, the genre-at-large, and the entire fictional universe in which it exists. It's a richly complex film that goes in so many different directions but that never loses the viewer on the journey towards achieving full-circle greatness, despite its joyful meandering through this and that between a bit of self-deprecating humor, familiar but original characters, ventures aplenty into the Stab universe, and of course the furthering adventures and growing legends of Sydney Prescott, Deputy (sorry, Sheriff) Dewey, and Gale Weathers. What makes Scre4m so great is how it all melts together into one beautifully smart movie that, as its tagline says, works under new rules but that ultimately leads right back to square one. There's so much of the same here, but at the same time Craven makes it all seem fresh and original. The movie's complexity both within its self-contained story and as it relates to all three of the previous entries all make it something that might be a little too complex for novices but that works as one of the most rewarding pictures genre fans -- and those who live and die Scream in particular - - will absolutely adore.

Sick is the new sane.

Structurally, of course, Scre4m follows the same basic formula of its predecessors. It features a wide character roster, most of all of whom are given something to present them as a potential suspect in the murders. Whether motive, knowledge, or just inconveniently "popping in" immediately after the killer has struck, the film is full of false flags and red herrings that raise the level of suspense and heighten the sense of uncertainty surrounding the plot. Best of all, the identity(ies) of the killer(s) is/are well-hidden and the reveal(s) will take the majority of viewers by surprise, even Scream veterans who understand maybe a bit better than most how these stories usually play out. This one is a bit bloodier than any of its predecessors, but hey, new decade, new rules, right? Fortunately, the gore -- and there's really only one truly grotesque scene -- doesn't overwhelm the story as it does in the new wave of "torture porn"-style movies that Scre4m so gleefully tears apart. In fact, like the other films in the franchise, Scre4m is often as funny as it is deadly serious and scary. The almost impossibly coincidental twists and turns and just-so-well-conceived-nothing-could-possibly-ever-go-wrong madness is almost too much, threatening to transform the movie from serious picture to genre parody, but then again that defines the other films in the series, too. Craven again pushes right to that limit but doesn't cross the threshold. His movie is very well balanced and the result is a picture that's incredibly involved but, in a macabre sort of way, lighthearted too, particularly as characters engage in the whole self-aware structure that truly makes this and the other Scream films so great, allowing both characters and audiences alike to relish every moment as Scre4m expertly maneuvers through the clichés it and its predecessors both invented and re-defined.

There's something real about a guy with a knife who just snaps.

Maybe best of all is that, even after all this time, the trio of heroes haven't lost their edge. Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox are once again spectacular in Scre4m, each carrying over the same character traits, idiosyncrasies, and perceptions from the other movies, adding not only seamless continuity but allowing the audience to better get in their heads and watch the events play out both from a detached perspective as well as, metaphorically, through those characters's eyes. Campbell remains at the center but doesn't quite seem the singular focus she was before. The world of Scream seems to have matured not beyond Campbell's character but instead evolved around it. It feels wider, more involved, more real somehow than it did in the first three installments. Maybe it's the maturation of the series, maybe it's more time between films in the fictional universe that it can more easily expand beyond the boundaries of the relatively short period of time surrounding the first three films, but whatever it is, Scre4m greatly benefits from a more open design where it seems that anything goes and anything can happen. The new blood is a mix of characters that either feel like shout-outs to previous Scream favorites -- whether necessarily as dictated by the plot or not -- or serve the movie well enough to die honorable deaths in the name of upping the body count but not necessarily at the expense of plot. Everyone in Scre4m plays a purpose, and it's not only to die. It's all very well conceived, and the cast is on top of its game, from the most generic "oh is she ever gonna get it" female at the beginning of the movie all the way to the main cast whose fate is best left to the movie.

Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Scre4m's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is nothing short of perfection. This is a gorgeous image and positively blows away the previous three installments in terms of grain structure, detailing, color, and absence of technical faults. The transfer presents a gorgeous film-like image that remains whether in the darkest corners or the sunniest outdoor campus shots around Woodsboro High School. Fine detail excels at every turn, and it's not just faces, facial hair, and clothes. Little supporting and structural odds and ends -- the texture of a couch, the fine lines in wooden floors -- are accentuated by the clean image, 1080p resolution, and intact grain structure; nothing has been scrubbed away here. Colors do favor a warmer shade, but seemingly by design. Nevertheless, brighter colors pop with regularity, particularly the greenery around the daytime exteriors. Blazingly bright backgrounds do wash out periphery details but, as with the warmer color scheme, seemingly by design. Black levels are perhaps the transfer's best asset; they're naturally dark and perfectly shadowy, never washing out or consuming critical details. Flesh tones, meanwhile, favor a slight golden/bronze hue that's a result of the overall color appearance. Additionally, clarity is amazing; everything that's meant to be seen is seen, only aiding the exquisite detailing, fine colors, and natural film-like grain structure. Banding, blocking, edge enhancement, and other uglies are no-shows. This might be Anchor Bay's best transfer yet, a real success given some of the innate challenges -- notably all the shadows -- that are so prevalent throughout Scre4m.

Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Scre4m's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is nearly as good as its video counterpart. It seems to lack ever-so-slightly in terms of sounding as rich, full, and therefore complete as perhaps it should, but such is a minor complaint in an otherwise top-tier presentation. Clarity is exceptional and spacing is seamless. Music, as noted, seems to lack that last little bit of oomph to take it over the top. It's not thunderously loud -- even some of the harsh Horror movie piano key strokes seem just a hair puny -- and it doesn't need to be, but it seems missing a jolt somewhere along the way. Nevertheless, this is a high quality listen that also delivers wonderful action effects. Whether knives tearing through flesh and other objects or a foreboding ringing of the telephone off to the side, the track's more energized effects seamlessly surround the listener and hit home with precision clarity. The surround channels carry a good deal of the action. Not only does music make use of the back speakers for a more fulfilling presentation, but various ambient effects -- the general din of a busy crime scene, reverberations of a honking horn bouncing around an underground parking garage -- naturally and effortlessly find their way in, too. Dialogue reproduction is clear, steady, and streams from the center channel. This is a strong soundtrack that does a marvelous job of supporting such a sonically-involved picture.

Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Scre4m doesn't feature an overload of supplements, but it does offer up most of the usual suspects, including an audio commentary, deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, and a too-short making-of feature, all of which are, sadly, presented in standard definition.

• Audio Commentary: Director Wes Craven and Stars Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts are featured, supplemented by a guest appearance from Neve Campbell on the phone. The primary trio deliver a fair commentary, discussing a little bit of this, a little bit of that. They speak on the picture's structure, scrapped and re-imagined ideas, shooting locales, and other commentary-standard elements. Neve appears around the 15-minute mark, hangs around for a good 45 minutes or so, and shares a few random thoughts along the way. This isn't the world's most engaging, insightful, or must-listen commentary, but it's a serviceable little track that die-hard fans will want to skim through.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (480p, 26:02): Alternate Opening, Extended Ending, Dewey and Gale at Home, Jill and Trevor at School (Extended), Crime Scene, Discussing the Murders, Dewey's Test, Kate Outside Olivia's House, Woodsboro Remake, Gale on the Trail, Trevor Visits Jill in the Hospital, Sidney and Gale in the Hospital, Rebecca in the Parking Lot (Alternate), Ghost Face Test Shot, Perkins Stands Guard, Kirby with the Boys, Charlie and Robbie Set Up Stabathon, Dewey Visits Gale at the Hospital (Alternate), Trevor and Jill Look for Jill's Phone, and Robbie Outside Kirby's House. Available with optional director commentary.
• Gag Reel (480p, 9:18).
• The Making of Scream 4 (480p, 10:29): Wes Craven opens by discussing the re-assembly of the usual Scream team, followed by Craven, cast, and crew talking up the movie, its plot advancements, generational cues, the work of the actors, casting the parts, the respect and camaraderie amongst the cast and Craven, and the experience of working together through the years.
• Scream 4 Video Game Promotion (1080p): Two screens offering up the chance to buy Scream-themed Xbox Live avatar clothes and the mobile Scream game for iPhone, Android, and iPad.
• DVD Copy.
• Digital Copy: Available as a digital download, unavailable for download at time of publication.

Scream 4 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Scre4m bests Scream 2 and blows the good-but-not-great Scream 3 out of the water, but the real question is: is it better even than the original classic? Probably not, but the margin is a lot closer than most would probably expect, the reason being, well, any number of reasons, most of which require both a knowledge of the first three movies -- the original in particular -- and a viewing or two of Scre4m to really figure out why. Then again, is it really fair to compare? They're all critical elements of a greater whole, but when looking at the basics -- the strength of the individual plots, the quality of the productions, how well each fits into the Scream narrative, and of course raw entertainment value -- it's hard not to put Scre4m alongside or right under the first in terms of raw ranking. It really is that good. It's smart, exciting, and fits perfectly into the world Wes Craven crafted more than a decade ago, a world that, at the end of the day, is arguably his finest achievement and certainly proof of just what a visionary Horror filmmaker he is. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Scre4m features stunning video, great audio, and a few extras. Very highly recommended!