Scream 4 (Exclusive Series) (Hulu/Showtime)

Initial release date: April 15, 2011

Studios: Dimension Films/Outerbanks Entertainment/The Weinstein Company

Tagline: New decade. New rules.

Plot: It has been years since the last Ghostface Killer cut a deadly path through the town of Woodsboro. In order to get over the trauma of those horrific events, Sidney Prescott has written a self-help book. She returns to Woodsbotro for her book tour, and reconnects with old friends Gale and Dewey. However, Sidney’s arrival also sparks the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney and everyone she loves in danger.

Cast

Neve Campbell - Sidney Prescott

Courteney Cox - Gale Weathers-Riley

David Arquette - Dewey Riley

Marley Shelton - Deputy Judy Hicks

Emma Roberts - Jill Roberts

Hayden Panettiere - Kirby Reed

Marielle Jaffe - Olivia Morris

Erik Knudsen - Robbie Mercer

Rory Culkin - Charlie Walker

Nico Tortorella - Trevor Sheldon

Anthony Anderson - Deputy Perkins

Adam Brody - Deputy Hoss

Writer: Kevin Williamson

Director: Wes Craven

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking (111 minutes)

Last night, I took another look at the remaining two movies of the franchise that are available on streaming, ‘Scream 3’ and ‘Scream 4.’ Even though ‘Scream 3’ was extremely toned down a bit, I’m glad that the fourth movie stuck to its roots and went back to the bloody scares that horror movies are known for.

When I first watched ‘Scream 4’ years ago, I thought it wasn’t that great. And, it’s weird that watching it another time or two would actually make you like a movie better. Sure, there are some predictable moments. Yet, the fourth movie brings back the blood and thrills that ‘Scream 3’ severely lacked.

And, there is some meta humor (that actually works really well in this movie). That’s the ‘Scream’ tradition. This time (unlike the third), the killer’s reveal was really tense and interesting. Not going to spoil it if you haven’t seen it, but the final moments of ‘Scream 4’ are really thrilling and extremely entertaining.

‘Scream 4’ can currently be streamed on Hulu via the Showtime add-on.

Here are a few interesting tidbits for ‘Scream 4’:

• Last movie directed by Craven before he died from brain cancer on August 30, 2015.

• At four installments (now five), this initially land-marked the ‘Scream’ franchise as being one of the only horror franchises to have both its main characters as well as its director return for all of its sequels, until the release of the 2022 reboot/sequel.

• Screenwriter Kevin Williamson had repeated clashes with the Weinsteins, resulting in them once again hiring Ehren Kruger for rewrites, and the script varied heavily from the original drafts.

• The movie is critical of horror remakes and the so-called “torture porn” genre. Interestingly, Craven previously produced a handful of remakes of classic horror films, including ‘Carnival of Souls,’ ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ and ‘The Last House on the Left’ (the latter two being remakes of his own films).

• ‘Scream 4’ grossed $38.2 million domestically, and $59.1 million in other territories, for a total gross of $97.2 million, against its budget of $40 million.