WISE Score
IMDb
Ghostface returns to Woodsboro in a meta-slasher that skewers toxic fan culture while stabbing teenagers with massive hunting knives.
6.3
60
If you have older teens who love horror movies, Scream (2022) delivers a fast-paced, wickedly funny meta-slasher. It knows the genre inside and out, poking fun at reboot culture while keeping the classic Woodsboro mystery formula intact.
That said, the R rating is earned. The violence is explicit and visceral, relying heavily on up-close stabbings and graphic gore rather than quick cutaways. Save this one for mature high schoolers who enjoy genre satire and can handle intense violence.
Best for viewers 16 and up. The brutal knife gore, persistent profanity, and high-tension terror make this a bad match for younger teens, even those who claim they like scary movies.
It is an R-rated horror slasher centered on gruesome murders, deceit, revenge, and brutal teenage violence.
Clever self-referential writing skewers 'requel' culture, toxic fandoms, and horror movie tropes while maintaining a sharp whodunit mystery.
Extremely high violence with realistic, graphic knife stabbings, blood, throat slashes, intense jump scares, and constant explicit profanity.
Offers an interesting media literacy angle on how fanbases react to media franchises, though it is primarily designed for pure slasher entertainment.
When the original Scream debuted in 1996, it revived a dying slasher genre by giving its characters complete awareness of horror movie rules. The 2022 entry—technically the fifth film in the franchise—updates that formula for an era dominated by cinematic universes, legacy sequels, and reddit fan theories. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett keep the momentum high while leaning into the absurdity of modern film discourse.
What sets this installment apart from earlier entries is the sheer brutality of the kills. Where 90s slashers often leaned on quick camera cuts and theatrical blood, modern special effects allow every knife blow in this film to feel heavy and uncomfortable. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox return to ground the story, but the narrative hinges on a fresh cast of characters whose personal connections to the original Woodsboro murders make everyone a suspect.
If your older teen is dipping a toe into modern horror, this film works best as an entry point into the meta-slasher subgenre. Just be prepared for unrelenting gore and heavy language from the opening scene onward.
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