Review of ‘Scary Movie’: Chaos and Comedy

The character Ghostface from the ‘Scream’ series makes a misguided attempt to attack Teyana Taylor at the start of the new ‘Scary Movie.’ His knife bends off her muscular abdomen. “I’m Teyana Taylor,” she proclaims. “My abs have abs.” Ghostface concedes defeat but mocks her for not winning an Oscar. She responds by hitting him with her Golden Globe. This scene exemplifies the Wayans family’s comedic style: exaggerated, up-to-date, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny.

Anna Faris and Regina Hall appear in one of the parody horror franchise’s new scenes. A large group of Wayans, known for contributing to this comedic chaos, reunites again, incorporating skits parodying horror films and recent events. The script, penned by multiple Wayans members and Rick Alvarez, keeps momentum, largely due to targets accumulated since the last film in 2013.

With many writers involved, different joke styles emerge, mixing decades-old references with modern ones. The plot is not the attraction here. Ghostface hunts the ‘Scary Movie’ original group: Marlon Wayans’ Shorty, Shawn Wayans’ Ray, Anna Faris’ Cindy, and Regina Hall’s Brenda. Numerous guest stars appear, some unexpectedly.

These central characters have evolved into flawed adults. Cindy struggles with alcohol, and Shorty remains a wealthy gamer due to cryptocurrencies. They unite to save the franchise. The jokes touch upon various contemporary topics from Kanye West to COVID-19, mixed with classic irreverent humor.

The writers playfully address films like ‘Terrifier 3’ and ‘Sinners,’ alongside references that occasionally feel underdeveloped. A scene related to ‘M3GAN’ and a theme park based on ‘Final Destination’ stand out more.

Sequences drift into randomness, including an animated ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ segment leading to a humorous conclusion. The film revisits former parody territory, blending self-referential elements like Cheri Oteri’s return and Chris Elliott’s character.

Questions remain about choices like the reliance on ‘Scream’ parodies and noticeable product placements. However, audiences familiar with Wayans humor come prepared for emerging gems amid slapstick misfires.

‘Scary Movie,’ distributed by Paramount Pictures, releases Friday and carries an R rating for explicit content and language. Its duration is 95 minutes, earning a one and a half stars out of four according to the Motion Picture Association’s rating.