Exactly ten years after the horrific Woodsboro massacre, survivor Sidney Prescott—who has successfully authored a self-help book and put the tragedy behind her—returns to her quiet little hometown to visit her cousin Jill, as well as reunite with old friends Dewey (now the town sheriff), and wife Gail (suffering from an extreme case of writer's block). Unfortunately for Sidney her timing couldn't be worse as the Ghostface killer returns, this time not only emulating the original murders, but seemingly trying to outdo them in any way, shape, or form. A surprisingly effective, belated entry to the classic Scream series at times feels more like a remake than a sequel, yet delivers the goods with well-drawn characters, snappy dialogue, violence and suspense, but the film's greatest virtue is its wonderfully witty sense of humor. Imperfect, especially in its final act, but well-made and a lot of fun. ***
