Unusual Ranking Post Scream 7 - What's yours?

Now that Scream 7 is finally here—and is likely on its way to becoming the highest-grossing entry in the franchise—does anyone else have any triggering or polarizing rankings to share?

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest movie. While I absolutely recognize that it has its issues, I also believe it’s a clear return to form and I’m happy to see the box office reflecting that, even though commercial success rarely corresponds to actual quality. After watching Scream 7 four times, this is my ranking:

7) Scream VI – Just a bad movie. The killers being an entire psycho family felt incredibly far-fetched, and the meta commentary spiraled completely out of control into cringe, borderline Scary Movie territory. I hated the direction, the acting and the writing. Kirby’s character was absolutely ruined from a sensitive and insecure girl who put on a mask in 4 to a cliched "strong woman" with masculine traits. It also features the worst opening kill in the franchise: it makes no sense from a story perspective, and the victim is written as so stupid it’s almost offensive... like if any person would venture in a dark alley in NYC dressed like that! Scream has always shown clever victims who put on a good fight, not this nonsense.

0/10

6) Scream (2022) – An offensive take on the franchise, with forced, poorly written, and badly cast relatives tied to the original characters. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox felt like marketing bait more than meaningful presences. The writing is abysmal. Judy was completely ruined as a character from a goofy yet competent cop to a brainless parent who runs around in leggins and unarmed during a killign spree in town. The kills and direction are awful, and removing Marco Beltrami from the score felt criminal. The movie looks cheap, and once again the meta commentary is so exaggerated and in-your-face that it drains all tension and credibility. Richie and his family are the worst Ghostfaces ever. Dewey dying in such a pathetic way was insulting. The commentary on reboots and sequels had already been explored in Scream 4 in a much smarter, more layered way. This felt like the writers were disrespecting Wes Craven’s films instead of paying homage. The ghost hallucinations were the final nail in the coffin. Jesus. I wish they had more courage and do a full on reboot, completely detached from the first 4 movies, something the MTV series did brilliantly.

1/10

5) Scream 2 – A super fun sequel, largely thanks to Wes Craven’s phenomenal direction. The set pieces and locations are fantastic, and the score is strong. Many fans consider this the best sequel, but I disagree. Returning to a school setting felt repetitive and a bit dull to me, and the motivations behind the killings were underwhelming. I really enjoyed Mickey and Mrs. Loomis’ performances, but at the end of the day, it’s a simple revenge story stretched into a convoluted killing spree that doesn’t entirely make sense. I was also disappointed by the toned-down violence—Cici and Randy’s deaths were especially underwhelming. That said, Cotton, Gale, and Dewey absolutely carry the film with some of the best character arcs in the franchise. It proves you can still deliver a fun and iconic movie with the right cast and characters, even if the plot is absurd. I enjoy this movie mostly for its elaborate and meta set pieces in the movie theatre and on the stage, really clever and smart direction and a lot of action!

7/10

4) Scream 7 – A divisive entry given the circumstances, but definitely a fun and suspenseful movie. I loved Kevin Williamson’s direction, the set pieces, and the clear attention to character growth. The interactions between Sidney and Gale, as well as Sidney and Tatum, give the film an emotional weight that’s been missing since Scream 3 and Scream 4. The meta angle, while still present, is finally toned down in favor of a darker and more credible storyline: easily the scariest entry so far. I do have some issues tho: I understand and even enjoy the killer’s motive, but it doesn’t fully justify the scope of the killing spree. Ghostface could have targeted Sidney and Tatum alone. Still, it’s a super entertaining film with a great twist—Gale’s entrance is iconic. Showing Sidney and Gale still carrying trauma is exactly what the franchise needed at this point. Many great shots and locations, the movie is a bit too dark but finally looks like something that costed actual money to make unlike 5 and 6.

8/10

3) Scream – Iconic and groundbreaking. Some of the meta commentary and phone call exchanges have aged poorly in my opinion, and I’m glad Scream 7 toned them down. But what made this small slasher so unique was its writing. Even if you removed the murders, it would still work as a character-driven film. You cared about these people. The mystery surrounding Sidney’s mother was beautifully constructed and kept you hooked as layers unraveled. The opening sequence is legendary, and Rose McGowan is unforgettable. That said, it now feels a bit too teen-oriented, and the killer reveal was somewhat predictable to me—Billy was obvious, and once he gets “stabbed,” it’s clear there must be a second killer. By process of elimination, that leaves Stu. At least I wasn't surprised that much and what sold the movie for me was Sidney, not Ghostface.

8.5/10

2) Scream 3 – I truly don’t understand why this gets such a bad reputation. My only real issue is the toned-down violence—Sarah’s death in particular feels restrained. However, this film (along with Scream 4) at least justifies each killing within the narrative. Ghostface is trying to lure Sidney out and create a high-profile spectacle tied to Hollywood production, securing his glory in cinema history. The writing is smart (including the naming of some characters), and the cast is exceptional. There are so many strong set pieces and fight sequences. It looks expensive! Roman is easily the best Ghostface in the franchise. The humor here is sharp and doesn’t undermine the suspense because you care about the characters and want them to survive. If the kills had been more brutal, this would be nearly perfect.

9/10

1) Scream 4 – Still the undisputed best. The writing, the cast, the kills, the motive, the score—everything works. I loved the double fake opening; I was losing my mind in the theater because I was so entertained. It’s incredibly iconic, and I’m not surprised it’s aging like fine wine and being reevaluated more positively over time. It was ahead of the curve. Jill is the most sinister villain in the franchise, and Emma Roberts’ performance is hysterical. Here, the meta commentary and killings are seamlessly integrated and serve a clear narrative purpose, so I don’t mind the absurdity of certain choices. The only truly random kill might be Sidney’s poor publicist, but Jill’s desire to build the biggest massacre possible in order to become the sole survivor explains the massive body count.

10/10

As you can see, my favorites tend to be the ones that are usually frowned upon, but I believe they’re the entries that have stood the test of time and improved with repeated viewings.

Either way, it’s no surprise to me that the only real duds are 5 and 6, and I’m glad the franchise seems to be back in its creators’ hands and moving in the right direction again