Director: Wes Craven
Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox Arquette, Patrick Dempsey
Have I seen it Before: …yes?
Did I Like it: And the answer to that question brings us to the real answer to this one. Scream 3 is so intangible that if I have seen it at some point in the last twenty years, then at the very least its final act has completely disappeared from my memory. That at least maintained that singular quality of the series, where I am watching through the proceedings and I’m legitimately certain that everyone is the killer*, and I’m never quite on target.
So, the essential fun of a Scream movie is present, but whereas Scream 2 (1997) felt like the natural follow up to the original, this film is consistently trying to make a case for itself, but the parts never quite equal—to say nothing of exceeding—their sum. Horror trilogies aren’t really a thing (indeed, even this series shed those confines at the earliest opportunity), so making a comment about the conventions of a cinematic triptych ring hollow. The jokes about Hollywood of the late-90s/early-00s ring hollow either due to age or the fact that they weren’t terribly inspired to begin with.
Ultimately, the film is left to rely on its slasher bona fides, which have never (and as yet, will never) be the series best foot to put forward.
Much of these elements failed to inspire much memory in me, so I’m willing to answer the first question by saying, ultimately, I had somehow missed Scream 3 for all of these years… And it was some mild fun to take it for what I’m 65% sure is the first time.
Which then brings us to Scream 4 (2011), which isn’t going to get off as light.
*Including series protagonists Sydney (Campbell), Gale (Cox Arquette), and Dewey (Arquette), all of whom I’m strangely holding out hope will eventually pick up the mask, voice changer, and whatever sharp object is nearby in one of these movies.