Scary Movie: Movie Review

Cast: Anna Faris, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Kenan Thompson
Director: Graham Tiddes

The sixth entrant into the spoof comedy horror franchise finally lands, promising to take aim at everything - from horror movies to woke culture.

But what emerges in Scary Movie is exactly as you'd expect of a horror parody that's less interested in the genre and more interested in the scatological.

There's little point discussing a plot, because in truth, there's not enough of one to even really merit considering. Loosely, when Ghostface stabs Tuesday, one of doomsday prepper Cindy's daughters, the whole clan returns to fight the menace that is the killer - and the culture.

Riffing on the idea of the Scream reboot sequels, and sowing in references to One Battle After Another, Weapons, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Smile, Terrifier, The Substance, John Wick and Sinners to name but a few, Scary Movie has plenty of potential for plenty of humorous moments.

However, what Scary Movie does is anything but - a series of sketches thinly sown together by a flimsy plot is fine, if the punchlines are funny and payoffs worth it. But honestly, they're not. One solid laugh emerges from a riff on the Michael Jackson biopic titled Jermaine, but other than that, this is a laugh-free zone that makes 90 minutes seem like an eternity.

It's Scary Movie, nobody is expecting deep satire, but what's most depressing about it - aside from the fact it's made $55million in the US on opening weekend, almost guaranteeing another sequel - is just how little the script does anything with every moment within.

Parody is a difficult thing to master - and Scary Movie makes an argument for being so outdated before it's even begun. The joke's past its sell-by date - particularly for anyone with even half a brain cell.