Ghostface is back! Though it has been ten real-life years since we last saw the sad-faced masked murderer on the big screen, he’s still terrorizing the teens of the fictional town of Woodsboro where all the killing began some 25 years ago in 1996’s Scream.

Also back in 2022’s Scream are those familiar thrills, chills, and sensational kills that have ruled the franchise through all five installments. And while we are revisiting, why not throw in a few legacy characters to give the die-hard fanboys – and fangirls – something to reminisce about. Returning to the franchise are Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette to reprise their characters. Settle down! They are on the film’s poster, so not a spoiler.

What isn’t back, however, is the hand of the franchise’s progenitor and director of the previous four films, Wes Craven, who we lost in 2015. Taking the helm this time around are Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett who pay mad respect to the franchise and do an admirable job with the material written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, also newcomers to the property. The film’s makers lean heavily into the franchise’s trademarked self-awareness – perhaps a bit too heavily at times, but with plenty of humor, buckets of blood, and that fun devil-may-care recklessness, this installment is a worthy addition to the Scream canon.

As even the most casual Scream fan knows, the opening scene of each installment features a hapless teen alone at home answering a phone call from Ghostface who challenges the recipient to a dangerous game. Remember Drew Barrymore’s character in ’96’s Scream? This one is no different as the young Tara (Jenna Ortega) loses the challenge – a trivia question about the fictitious movie series called Stab – and is subsequently attacked by the masked killer, leaving a bloody mess on the kitchen floor.

As the plot plays out, we learn that Tara was not, in fact, a random victim. As it turns out, her estranged sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) has some sort of twisted connection to the original murders. When Sam returns to Woodsboro with her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid), she convinces since-retired Sheriff Dewy (Arquette) and his ex-wife Gale (Cox) to come back to Woodsboro to help stop the copycat killer. Original survivor Sidney (Campbell) thought she was done with ol’ Ghostface, but is also convinced to join the manhunt.

So, there you have it. Same basic plot as all the others, but with the returning veterans joining the teens in their hunt. The killer is certainly as brutal as ever – and what a persistent little bugger he is, but sorely missing is a startling chill factor to the deaths. Always done in broad daylight and with perfect clarity, the kills show a mastery of special effects – mesmerizing in themselves, yet fail to make us cringe through parted fingers.

There’s one much-appreciated segment that features the camera peeking around a corner, or lurking on a still shot as a refrigerator door is closed, each highlighted by a loud, crashing “jump scare” audible moment. But what’s there? Nothing. Hilarious! It’s tongue-in-cheek moments like these that make this thing so much fun to experience.

Truthfully, it’s all really dumb with way too many sloppy plot holes and unexplained occurrences to appeal to those unfamiliar with the franchise. But for the die-hards and anyone who has casually checked out even a single episode, darn if it isn’t just flat-out fun. There are some moments involving relationships that carry an emotional heft, and the emphasis put on the references to previous installments is a fun little game-within-a-game to play with yourself. Scream never takes itself too seriously, so neither should you.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated “R” for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.