Scream 7 Movie Review: Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott holds steady in a film that rarely surprises

Scream 7 is running in the theatre

• Scream 7 is directed by Kevin Williamson, writer of the original.
• Neve Campbell returns as Sidney, now focused on her family.
• The film plays it safe, focusing on personal stakes over shocks.

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‘Scream 7,’ directed by Kevin Williamson, released in theatres on 27 February and stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Isabel May, Joel McHale, and Sam Rechner.

A return that feels personal

If a horror series is still alive and running after three decades, it surely deserves applause. The seventh film in the ‘Scream’ franchise feels different mainly because Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original film, steps into the director’s chair for the first time while also working on the script. The result, however, is only passable, as ‘Scream 7’ follows many of the same patterns that shaped the earlier films. This time, the series returns to Sidney Prescott not just as someone who has survived terrible events but as a woman trying to protect the quiet life she has built for herself. Under Williamson’s direction, the film feels familiar and, at times, even careful. It does not try to be bigger or more violent than the earlier chapters. The scale of the story feels smaller, yet the emotions are meant to feel more personal and closer to home.

Sidney’s quiet life interrupted

The film begins with Scott and Madison, fans of the ‘Stab’ franchise, visiting Stu Macher’s house. While taking a tour of the house, they are killed by Ghostface. Soon we are introduced to Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who is now leading a quiet life with her daughter Tatum (Isabel May), and Mark (Joel McHale), a cop. Her calm life is disturbed when she receives a video call from a man who introduces himself as Stu Macher and informs her that her daughter is his target this time. Soon enough, a new Ghostface begins targeting people connected to Sidney’s past, forcing her to confront the idea that violence may never truly leave her life. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) re-enters the picture, drawn once again to the story but also to Sidney herself. The film moves between domestic tension and familiar slasher mechanics such as phone calls, suspicion, and sudden attacks.

Controlled but uneven

Kevin Williamson approaches the material with restraint. The film does not rush, and some scenes rely on silence instead of quick edits. There are moments where this patience pays off, especially in sequences that build dread through stillness rather than spectacle. At the same time, the movie occasionally feels hesitant, as if unsure whether to lean fully into nostalgia or step away from it. References to horror culture like ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and other slasher films are present, but they do not drive the narrative in the same way earlier entries did. The momentum in the middle stretch dips slightly, and a few supporting characters exist more as suspects than as fully formed people. It simply plays things safer than some viewers might hope.

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Familiar faces elevate the plot

Neve Campbell delivers a performance that’s grounded and calm and avoids exaggerated fear or melodrama. She plays Sidney as someone who is tired of running but prepared to fight if necessary. One can witness strength in the way she handles confrontations, especially in scenes opposite her daughter. Isabel May as Tatum brings a believable mix of teenage frustration and vulnerability to her role, making the mother-daughter dynamic feel natural rather than forced. Courteney Cox slips back into Gale Weathers with ease. She balances sharp dialogue with moments of sincerity, reminding us that Gale’s curiosity has always been tied to personal loyalty.

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A sequel that plays it too safe

It is clear that the film has no interest in reinventing the slasher genre, nor does it attempt to shock viewers with constant surprises. Instead, it returns to its main character and explores what survival means several years later. The film is at its strongest when it shows Sidney as a mother rather than as someone being chased again. It feels weaker when it depends too much on cliched beats that fans of the series can easily see coming. It respects its past without making fun of it, and it presents its lead character as a real person rather than a legend. For viewers who care about Sidney Prescott’s journey, that may be enough. Still, it is wise to keep expectations in check, because a slasher film can only stretch the formula so far.

Rating: 3/5