When I think of a horror movie, “Scream” is the first thing that comes to mind.
Wes Craven’s “Scream” isn’t just a slasher movie — it’s the movie that revived the entire genre.
Released in 1996, it cleverly balances genuine terror with self-aware humor, creating an experience that’s both nostalgic and fresh, even decades later. Watching it now feels like stepping into a time capsule of ‘90s horror: the landlines, the VHS tapes and the high school stereotypes that somehow still feel timeless.
It appeals to all audiences. Students, who relate to the high school setting. Adults, who relate to the fear of being alone, and everyone in between.
I’ve heard people say that Scream is too unserious to be considered a real horror movie, but I disagree. In fact, I would say the exact opposite.
What makes “Scream” so memorable is its ability to poke fun at common horror clichés while still using them effectively.
Characters like Sidney Prescott and the ever-iconic Ghostface manage to walk that fine line between parody and genuine fear. The opening scene with Drew Barrymore remains one of the most shocking and brilliantly executed in horror history — it sets the tone perfectly; no one is safe and nothing is sacred.
Especially with Drew Barrymore’s popularity in the late 90s, no one was expecting her death in a film where she was advertised as being one of the leads.
Many other horror movies have followed in the footsteps of Scream by opening with a scene where a character, illusioned to be the main character, is slaughtered within the first five minutes.
The dialogue is sharp, self-referential and dripping with the kind of wit that made Kevin Williamson’s script stand out from the mindless slashers that came before it.
The use of iconic quotes like “What’s your favorite scary movie?” from Ghostface to Casey Becker have transformed Scream from a simple slasher film to something that is memorable and easily recognizable.
All praise aside, “Scream” isn’t flawless. Some of the acting, especially from the supporting cast, teeters on melodramatic, and a few moments feel a little forced by today’s standards.
The pacing dips slightly in the middle, and the ending, while satisfying, gets almost too tangled in its own cleverness.
In the newer movies, the franchise depends heavily on plot armor to keep the main characters alive because of how, in my opinion, naive they were created to be in the first one.
Still, these are small flaws in an otherwise amazing film. Scream remains a masterclass in balancing horror and humor, a love letter to the genre that never loses sight of what makes it thrilling.
For fans of classic horror, it’s a nostalgic masterpiece; for newcomers, it’s a perfect introduction to what made ‘90s horror cool again. It may not be perfect — but that’s part of its charm.
Oct. 31 is coming around the corner, and Scream is the perfect movie to cozy up yourself into the Halloween mood– as long as you don’t answer the phone.