Reel Thoughts: ‘Scary Movie’ sells itself short, dilutes trademark humor – The Daily Northwestern

Sign up to receive our email newsletter in your inbox.



This review contains spoilers.
Horror movies are having a moment right now — no thanks to the Wayans brothers. 
Though scary movies may not be their forte, the “Scary Movie” series most definitely is. When I heard the 2000s parody franchise was coming back after a 13-year hiatus, I was excited to see how the comedic brothers would tackle the latest crop of horror movies in their new spoof. 
It seems like the Wayans forgot what made their comedic stylings so great, though. 
Almost as if I had wished for this movie with a “One Wish Willow,” it came with a pretty big caveat: the marketing. For whatever reason, the Wayans brothers decided the best way to sell a new “Scary Movie” would be to double down on its shock value. The movie’s tagline is “every line will be crossed.” 
Needless to say, a lot of lines were left uncrossed. The movie noticeably pulled its punches when it came to jokes that could offend its parent company, Paramount. Maybe now that the Warner Bros. merger has been approved, the next “Scary Movie” can be funnier. 
For all its faults, the movie opens strongly. A surprise cameo during the cold open kicks off the bits with a lot of energy, and once the horror parodies get going, they flow seamlessly. 
I appreciate how the writing managed to poke fun at anything remotely scary from “Sinners” to deep cuts like “Longlegs” and work in beloved cast members from the original films, especially mainstays Anna Faris and Regina Hall. 
However, most of the funny bits in this movie don’t get far without being followed up by scenes that made me wish I didn’t have eyes. 
A clever parody of the teacup hypnosis scene from “Get Out” gathered a lot of laughs and should have been an easy layup for a funny dream sequence. 
But what came next could only be described as a rejected Saturday Night Live skit. Shorty (Marlon Wayans) sings an autotuned riff on a song from “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” 
Just like the original song, the parody is unfortunately an earworm. It’s with no joy that I write that it’s still stuck in my head, and I’ve been sent more than a few Instagram reels about it. 
The original “Scary Movie” wasn’t a success because of its offensive humor or its references to broader pop culture. The movie was funny because it used horror movie tropes as a way to make fun of disconnects — both interpersonally and in the movie industry. 
There are glimpses of this satire in the latest movie. One standout scene shows an activist, woefully named Dei (Sydney Park), comparing the return of the killer Ghostface to last year’s botched remake of “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” 
In the scene, Dei’s friends stare with bemusement and have no clue what she’s talking about. Eventually, someone replies, “Are you sure you don’t mean ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty?’”
It’s this type of humor that the movie was missing overall: using horror as a tool to poke fun at both Hollywood tropes and social divides, instead of compulsively trying to parody everything à la SNL.
Horror and comedy have always gone hand in hand because both are all about tension and payoff. The comedy here has less payoff when it’s making fun of more than just horror. 
If a masked killer ever gives me a call and asks me for my favorite “Scary Movie,” I unfortunately couldn’t go with this one.
Email: [email protected] 
X: @migtsang
Related Stories:
— Q&A: ‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ creator, writer discuss NU experiences, Easter eggs and screenwriting advice
— Reel Thoughts: ‘Backrooms’ proves internet horror thrives in theaters
— Reel Thoughts: No wonder everyone’s obsessed with ‘Obsession’

source