Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Scream 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 5, 2022

This is the 2022 version of Scream, not a re-release of the original classic 1996 film Scream, directed by the late Wes Craven. It is much like the original film, in some places a carbon copy, in some ways its own entity, but all of that plays into the plot. Though the torch has been passed to new filmmakers and mostly new characters, there is a sense here of meta-understanding of the franchise and the larger world around the cinema landscape, including sequel and remakes and Internet fandom, all of which play a major role in the story. This is a solid picture that brings Scream full circle and should rile up the fanbase to either spring to its defense or destroy it on the forums.

In the wake of poor reviews for Stab 8, the Ghostface killer is back in Woodsboro, site of the original massacre that was the inspiration for the original, and still the best, Stab movie. The first victim: Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), whose estranged sister, Sam (Melissa Barrera), returns home upon hearing the news. A handful of local teens connected to Tara and Sam – Wes (Dylan Minnette), Amber (Mikey Madison), Chad (Mason Gooding), Liv (Sonia Ammar), Richie (Jack Quaid), and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) – find themselves dissecting the murders and come to believe that the killer, or killers (there are always two) are amongst them. As the body count mounts, three former Woodsboro heroes – Dewey (David Arquette), Gale (Courteney Cox), and Sidney (Neve Campbell) – return to the scene of their trauma in order to put an end to this latest round of Ghostface killings.

Much of Scream feels like direct remake, and it's supposed to; that the film holds so many connections with the original and the larger meta-world around it is intrinsically woven into the plot, so try to avoid that eyeroll when the film opens with a nearly identical sequence compared to the original, right down to throwing an “old school” cordless landline phone in for seemingly no other reason than to keep the connection, so to speak, alive. However, the film also changes things up quite a bit as well. The opening scene is in many ways a play-by-play remake of the original, but with some modern conveniences to add tension. Without spoiling too much, the result is not at all the same, either, setting a dynamic for familiarity and novelty playing at once throughout the film.

In classic Scream fashion this film is fully self-aware. The first film was self-aware about how Horror films in general work, and this film is self-aware about how the so-called “requels” (remakes that are also sequels) work by bringing elements of the original into a story with new characters and returning favorites. This film shares the same sort of scenes where such information is revealed in exposition as the characters converse about how the movie world has intersected with their real world. This film is very clever about how it integrates everything together, and by making the world of movies integral to its plot, it must be hyper aware of truth but also forward thinking in terms of how Scream (or Stab, as the case may be in-film) might be made and play out today.

That said, while this film is a very worthwhile entry into Scream canon, it lacks the same sense of novelty and excitement because it is so closely aligned with the original. The film nobly, and often successfully, toes that line between filling shoes and wearing its own, but it is just missing that spark; it feels a little forced whereas Craven’s original classic played more organically. It is not likely that these characters – those who survive, anyway – will be launched into franchise and Horror film lore as has the ensemble from the original. The actors are fine but fail to bring much spark and personality to the roles; even the returning favorites sometimes feel more like pawns rather than critical pieces. All of that said, the film does work; it’s just never going to be on the same level as the original classic.

Scream 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of Scream impresses across the board. Detail and clarity are tight; the high resolution certainly allows for a satisfying intimacy of content that the companion and concurrently released Blu-ray (not included) cannot match. While this may not reach 4K format zenith, the picture is certainly to be highly regarded for its depth and definition that certainly reveals this format's innate strengths. There is plenty of high yield texturing to be found on character faces to be sure, but also some of the key set pieces, such as the kitchen in the opening scene and the house which plays a vital role in the third act. Color output is very good, with the black levels certainly more aggressively deep and true on the UHD compared to the Blu-ray, offering proper accuracy for the Ghostface costume as well as the nighttime exteriors and shadowy interiors. The Ghostface mask offers crisp white output as well. More balanced flesh tones, livelier and punchier primaries, and an overall feel for greater finessed color rendition is on display throughout. With no real source or encode blemishes to report, this is certainly a very good presentation that is easily the current peak for watching this film at home.

Scream 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fans may be disappointed that Paramount has chosen not to mix the audio for the UHD release in the Dolby Atmos configuration, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless configuration is certainly up to the challenge of bringing the movie's modern sound design to life in vivid, realistic detail. The track is exceedingly large and precise, with positive engagement throughout the stage. Listeners will experience all of the swooshing sounds of blades flying about, slicing skin, and digging into flesh. Creaks and cracks and other "Horror"-inspired sounds play with appropriate depth and detail. Stage engagement is total, and the track offers plenty of surround sound components, both motion and discrete alike. Music is large and alive with impressive clarity and full stage spacing yield. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized as it makes its home in a natural front-center position.

Scream 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Scream includes an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, and several featurettes. No Blu-ray copy is included. A digital copy voucher and a non-embossed slipcover are part of the package.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Producer James Vanderbilt, Writer Guy Busick, Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Director Tyler Gillett, and Executive Producer Chad Villella cover the film from multiple perspectives but share a focused, jovial track that fans will enjoy.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 2:57): Several scenes with no identifying titles or markers.
• New Blood (1080p, 7:33): Looking back at the original film's success and legacy and follows to explore this new film's new characters, the role of modern technology in the film, and the picture's connections to the original.
• Bloodlines (1080p, 8:33): Exploring the connections between this film and the original, including the famous Ghostface mask, how the characters in this film connect with those from the original, and more.
• In the Shadow of the Master (1080p, 7:22): A look back at Wes Craven's legacy and his work building the Scream franchise.
• Scream 1996 Trailer (1080p, 1:31): A trailer for the original film rather than (or alongside) this new film.

Scream 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Scream understands exactly what, well, Scream should look like in 2022. It's very effective and quite a bit satisfying, but the film lags behind largely because of a less-than-impressive character roster that doesn't grab the material like the original cast. Still, this ultra-self-aware film should please franchise fans and movie buffs in general. Paramount's UHD offers excellent video and audio presentations as well as a healthy allotment of bonus content. Recommended.