Scream 2 is the inevitable sequel to the groundbreaking smash hit Scream. If you don’t know what Scream is, check out one of the many excellent ops on Ciao before reading this, might as well do it in order huh? Otherwise this op may ruin it, as I’m going to have to refer to it in some way.

However, things don’t go so well. When a new film “Stab”, based on the story of the Woodsboro murders by Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) premieres in her new town the nightmare starts for Syd again. 2 filmgoers are brutally slain by a masked killer, and soon enough Syd, new boyfriend Derek (Jerry O Connell) Dewey (David Arquette) and several friends are being hunted and murdered by the mystery killer.

Lets be honest, Scream 2 could not be as original as Scream 1. The first was totally new and was a massive success mainly thanks to its newness of ideas. However, the sequel does manage to veer away from the standard sequel formula and it’s for this reason that I feel Scream 2 works.

As the film gets going each character is revealed to us in depth, either by introducing them if they are new (Mickey, Halle, Cici etc.) or by showing us how they have changed from Scream, (Dewey, Syd, Gale, Randy.) These developments are crucial to the plot, and more so in our attempts to deduce the killer. That’s one of my favourite things about the Scream films, trying to guess the killer, I am not ashamed to admit I never guessed one in the whole trilogy. Such is the script and writing of the film (well done once again Mr Kevin Williamson) that guessing the killer is a near impossible act.

As for the way Scream didn’t take itself seriously, nor does the sequel. Again we are reminded of the rules of survival, and at one point some of the cast even argue over whether sequels can surpass the original film. This is a direct reference to Scream 2 and whether it is a s good, and again shows the humour in the film.

Performances here are better than Scream in a purist sense, the actors now clearly have better ideas of the characters they are playing, as well as the kind of film they are in. However there seems to be something missing from some people, who maybe were in the film more to be involved in the name of the film than to do a decent job. Fortunately this doesn’t apply to the main cast and they all perform their roles brilliantly.

Courtney Cox again plays Gale Weathers and she is in especially bitchy mood at the films start. She seems again to be ruthless and uncaring, but she mellows as the film, and especially her relationship with Dewey progresses. Gale eventually becomes almost likeable and Cox turns in another excellent performance, better than her performance in Scream.

Jamie Kennedy completes the main part of the cast as film nut Randy, he is very funny and has some decent moments in the film, especially his conversation with the killer where he reverses the role and asks the killer about their favourite scary film. His arguments with Mickey over sequels are also great, and the way they debate whether sequels can be as good is a great in film reference to the movie itself.

Once again Wes Craven is at the helm and the film wouldn’t work as well without him calling the shots. Craven’s experience from Scream, and his other horror flicks again proves invaluable. He knows how to tease and scare an audience and does it with great style here.

Soundtrack.