_Scream 2_ gets off to a promising start with a really good opening, but then loses momentum and settles into being merely average due to a disappointing ending. The initial scenes were quite intense; it was disturbing to see how captivated people were by this actual killer and their seeming obliviousness to the brutal murder happening right in front of them. The gore is increased from the first film, which made me think we were going to get something special, but I ended up being mistaken. The beginning was very strong, and I liked the college campus setting with some exciting moments in the sorority houses. However, as the second act progressed, the movie began to feel slow, with too much time devoted to character development and uninspired chase sequences. I believe the main killer's reasons for doing what they did are not very convincing. They tried to replicate a _Friday the 13th_-style reveal involving Billy Loomis’s mother, but it didn’t really work. She left her son before the first film, and now she wants revenge on the victim after he becomes a killer? It just doesn't make sense. I did like Mickey; he was the only new character who stood out. This story had significant potential, but I can't help feeling that it wasn’t fully realized. The acting quality varied this time around. Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox were excellent; they are the best parts of the series, and their characters have a really nice progression here that I appreciated, especially Cox. Jamie Kennedy was also good as the only character who truly understands what's going on in this horror film, and his observations will be missed. David Arquette wasn’t very strong again; I think it was mostly due to poor writing, because the way he had to walk felt strange and inappropriate. Jerry O’Connell was cheesy and forgettable. Liev Schreiber’s character is unpleasant. Timothy Olyphant was the only new addition that I genuinely enjoyed. Wes Craven's direction remained good overall, with some fantastic scenes, especially in the sorority house, which I really liked. This might just be a matter of personal taste, but I still think this series could ramp up the horror and gore even more. It feels like they’re hinting at what they are truly capable of in each film. Ultimately, _Scream 2_ didn't achieve everything it could have as a sequel. It is still somewhat enjoyable, but it’s hard to ignore how much it declined from the original. Score: _63%_ Verdict: _Decent_

Source on TMDB