Director Wes Craven shocked viewers with the opening scene of the original “Scream” (1996) when the most cherished movie star of the ‘90s –– Drew Barrymore –– was murdered by Ghostface within the first ten minutes. The “Scream” franchise historically throws the unexpected at fans and is hilariously self-aware of the predictable and stupid decisions horror movie characters make in the midst of panic. “WHY WOULD YOU GO UPSTAIRS? THERE’S NO WAY OUT BUT DOWN!”

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The fifth film in the “Scream” franchise –– released on Jan. 14 in theaters and on VUDU –– is a perfect combination of genuine jump scares and slasher horror, but the film also made me laugh out loud during almost every scene. I can’t decide if “Scream” (2022) is more of a comedy or horror film. The film was extremely entertaining and exciting because my theories about who the murderer could be kept getting debunked, and the characters seem to be relentlessly self-aware that they’re living out a horror movie plot which adds a few giggles.

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“Scream” picks back up in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, 11 years after the tragedies of “Scream 4”, and of course, there’s a new Ghostface killer wanting to carry out the legacy of the 1996 killers Billy Loomis –– played by Skeet Ulrich –– and Stu Macher –– played by Matthew Lillard. 

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The new main character Sam –– played by Melissa Barerra –– is forced back to Woodsboro after her sister Tara –– played by Jenna Ortega –– survives the classic opening scene with Ghostface. In order to stop the killer and protect her sister, Sam reaches out for help from some familiar faces –– David Arquette as Dewy Riley, Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers and Neve Campbell as Sydney Prescott.

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One of the greatest aspects of the “Scream” franchise is its ability to surprise viewers by keeping the mystery unanswered until the last ten minutes of the movie. For that reason, this review will refrain from including any spoilers.

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The entire cast of “Scream” works tremendously together and provides an abundance of comedic relief that doesn’t feel forced. When franchises mix old and new characters there usually are a couple who don’t blend well with the favored originals, but the new cast worked gloriously with the storyline. The plot never felt unnatural when the originals came to help.

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The “Scream” franchise has always been hilariously self-aware and meta, teasing itself for being “just another predictable horror film.” Ironically, self-awareness is what makes the film unpredictable. There’s a lot of commentary from the characters about how horror franchises never know when to stop making films, which I thought was pretty amusing.

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I don’t think there should be any more “Scream” movies after this one. Craven passed away in 2015 and “Scream 4” was the last film he directed. “Scream” (2022) would be a fulfilling end to the franchise, and I think the new directors –– Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and ​​Tyler Gillett –– would’ve made Craven proud. Still, any more additions to the series would come across as overdone.

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The “Scream” series is entertaining and satisfying because the killer is always a genuine surprise. The franchise changed the face of horror by making fun of the things the genre needed to improve on. In the past, horror movies wouldn’t develop characters enough because they were too focused on scares. The reason why “Scream” gets your heart racing is because you develop genuine care for some of the characters –– “AHHHH RUN SYDNEY! NO! NOT THE CLOSET!”

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The official trailer