I scream, u scream, we all SCREAM 4 ...

The 4th installment of the Scream franchise which only took 11 years since the last one to come out. Scream 4 finds Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott returning to her hometown to promote a book she'd written about her experiences, only to face some new copycat killers putting on the Ghostface mask, and making unnerving phone calls to would-be, slash-potential victims.

Is Scream supposed to be "scary" at this point? I'm gonna say - No. Scream has always been a semi-comedic homage to slasher movie/horror films. Penned by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, both masters at what they do best, the original gave an intelligent wink and smile to the genre, while offering unexpected shocks and genuinely scary elements at the same time.

Of course what everyone remembers is the twist at the end of the 1st film with Billy and Stu being revealed as the killers. Unfortunately, however, 3 sequels later, that's all that remains. Waiting for the big "whodunit" reveal at the end, all the while ignoring the fake-outs of the movie making u SUSPECT who it might be ... tripping and yawning it's way through a bare semblance of a plot.

Character development is all but out the window as we just watch the body count rise and (I guess) we're left to appreciate the "new" and "inventive" ways the teenagers get chopped up. Scream 4 still has the "self-referentialism" (not a real word) and "socio-pop culture examination" (not a real term) as its predecessors, but it all feels tacked on and a bit hollow.

It's got the obligatory jam packed cast of young hollywood, but it also cradles the unnecessary: Anthony Anderson as a cop? Does he REALLY need to still be playing these roles at this point in his career? Adam Brody as another cop? Does anyone even remember who that IS anymore??

the rating system:

Loved it - one of the best movies I've seen in a long time and worth every cent of the ticket price. I can't state enough how much u need to go see this movie ...

Liked it - it was an enjoyable flick for the most part and I'm glad I watched it. Will I run out to buy it when released on video? ... Probably not.

Leave it - ranging from the truly forgettable to the "wait a minute ... that didn't make any sense" in the 1st 5 minutes after I leave the theater. Basically - a whole lotta nothin.

Loathed it - a movie that literally makes me ANGRY after I exit and for days and weeks after. Angry that I wasted my time and money, and angry that such a piece of shit was ever made and that people actually received payment to do so.

the verdict:

Leave it. The only good in Scream 4 was Hayden Panettiere who's terrific in her role, cute as hell, and finally succeeding in again making me a fan. Rory (better than Macaulay but not as good as Kieran) Culkin was very good as well, but the original cast of Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox Arquette just seemed bored, while new star Emma Roberts and cameoers like Shenae Grimes, Kristen Bell, and Anna Paquin were just as useless as they are in everything ELSE they do.

The movie suffered from going back in the same well way too often and not pulling up anything new ... even though it seemed to think that it did.