Scary Movie Review

Directed By: Michael Tiddes
Written By: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Craig Wayans, and Rick Alvarez
Runtime: 96 minutes
MPA Rating: Rated R for crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong violence, drug content, and language throughout.

Anna Faris – Cindy Campbell
Regina Hall – Brenda Meeks
Marlon Wayans – Shorty Meeks
Shawn Wayans – Ray Wilkins
Olivia Rose Keegan – Sara Campbell
Savannah Lee Nassif – Tuesday Campbell
Cameron Scott Roberts – Jack
Gregg Wayans – Brad Meeks
Sydney Park – Dei Meeks
Dave Sheridan – Doofy Gilmore
Lochlyn Munro – Greg Phillippe
Ruby Snowber – Val
Benny Zielke – Jess
Cheri Oteri – Gail Hailstorm
Chris Elliott – Shorthand
Kim Wayans – Nurse Ratchett

Any movie or IP that had a modicum of recognition or fame at some point is getting a reboot, so merely by process of elimination, Scary Movie was bound to get another turn at bat. The franchise’s sixth installment, titled simply Scary Movie again, brings back the original cast of the first two movies, with the Wayans family taking the reins back on the franchise. Unfortunately, Scary Movie fails to bring anything that’s genuinely funny and witty to the table, other than a lot of tired movie and pop-cultural references.

Scary Movie largely models its plot after 2022’s fifth Scream movie, mashed together with 2018’s Halloween. Ghostface has returned and targeted Tuesday Campbell (Lee Nassif), the daughter of Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) from the earlier movies. And with Cindy’s other estranged daughter, Sara (Rose Keegan), returning to Woodsville, it’s time for all the old and new cast members to team up to stop Ghostface, or just start a parade of incessant, incoherent skits strung together with an incoherent, nonsensical plot.

Even at their best, the Scary Movie franchise was never high art, but the original was at least a relatively entertaining spoof that amusingly riffed on the recent comeback of the slasher movie, parodying the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer franchises. The new Scary Movie brings nothing funny or fresh to the table, other than a chance for the Wayans family to celebrate and reference themselves.

Every once in a while, Scary Movie throws in a couple of somewhat inspired jokes and visual gags. The Final Destination theme park isn’t a bad idea. But then it pulls that annoying penchant where it just throws in visual references and allusions to other movies that simply mimic them, and they aren’t particularly funny.

Scary Movie falls into the same trap its *Blank* Movie successors did by simply referencing more successful movies without providing any actual jokes. There’s a dancing M3GAN from M3GAN, but even as a joke or reference, that feels dated by several years. When the Wayans and director Michael Tiddes throw in a joke to go along with a movie reference gag, the Wayans simply use it as an opportunity for some grandiose navel-gazing that’s completely undeserved.

Then the movie throws in various tangents, like a sequence involving Shorthand (Elliott) from Scary Movie 2 that parodies Longlegs. The sequence shows some genuine promise since it features the charismatic Damon Wayans Jr. playing an FBI agent using an amusing gruff voice. Unfortunately, the sequence is a dead end that goes nowhere until it gets pointlessly revisited in the closing credits. Nevertheless, it proves that Wayans Jr. should’ve had a bigger role in this movie, since his talent and charisma stood out the most. Multiple sequences riff on Sinners as well, but they are equally pointless and unfunny.

The R-rating does allow for some low-brow jokes, but even with the attempts to have edgier, more adult humor, nothing truly lands. Scary Movie basically works as the ultimate movie for people who worship the first two movies and White Chicks. And considering how much White Chicks gets memed by Gen Z on TikTok, its fans are clearly out there. But as far as genuinely good movie parodies and spoofs go, Scary Movie lacks anything worthwhile.

Where To Watch Scary Movie

Scary Movie hits theaters on June 5. Ticket and showtime information are available at the movie’s website.

3.0

The final score: review Bad

The 411

Even when there's plenty to riff on in the horror movie scene with the reboot and legacy franchise culture, Scary Movie fails to bring anything fresh and funny to the table. It's merely a parade of bad, unfunny skits and adult sex jokes strung together, loosely mimicking the plot of the fifth Scream movie. More than anything, it's a chance for the Wayans family to pat themselves on the back for returning to the franchise after all these years. This is the perfect movie for fans of The Wayans Bros. sitcom, White Chicks, and the earlier Scary Movie sitcoms. If not, it's better to avoid this one. Scary Movie reeks of the lugubrious movie parody successors that followed in its wake.