Scream brought something new to the slasher genre and remains impressive even almost three decades after its release. The storyline adheres to a familiar pattern, echoing many of the successful slasher films from the late seventies and early eighties, but that's intentional. Scream is fully conscious of horror movie conventions and uses them in an inventive way by incorporating commentary and understated humor through the characters. It’s not trying to be overtly funny; there are no obvious jokes or forced comedic moments, but it functions as a dark comedy that gently satirizes itself. The actors did a solid job. Neve Campbell gives a strong, tough performance and feels like the ideal protagonist for this series. She's able to fight back with intensity and is now my top choice for final girls, surpassing Laurie Strode from Halloween. Courtney Cox was also very good; though she didn’t have much screen time, she made the most of what she had. David Arquette was alright; he wasn’t particularly memorable, and I think his role could easily be filled by someone else. Matthew Lillard stood out as my favorite performer; his portrayal was exaggerated and disturbingly unhinged, which really suited the character. Skeet Ulrich also did well, though he didn't have quite as much impact as Lillard. The filmmaking was excellent. Wes Craven skillfully created distinctive shots and made good use of camera angles and perspectives. I do feel this movie could benefit from more gore and violence given that it’s a slasher film. There was only one death scene that truly stuck with me. Considering its role as both an homage to and critique of the slasher genre, it felt somewhat lacking in actual slashing. Also, the length seemed excessive; trimming about ten minutes would have improved the viewing experience. I believe this movie is a little overrated, but it’s still a good film deserving of much of the recognition it has received. Score: _79%_ | Verdict: _Great_

Source on TMDB