Scream 2 (R, 1997)

common sense media says

Slightly milder sequel to the post-modern slasher.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, while the carnage isn't as extreme as it was in the first SCREAM, bloodshed and stabbings are still abundant. So is foul language, and a portrayal of a college campus environment as a place where nobody ever seems to be caught studying, just partying and pledging fraternities and sororities.

Positive messages: Tough, plucky central figure Sidney is, as always, the most normal among a cast of shifty, possible mass-murder suspects. David Arquette's noble but goofy deputy Dewey is a certifiably nice guy.
Violence: Vicious stabbings, close-range shootings, and hand-to-hand fighting.
Sex: Characters refer to sex, though not as often as in the last film. Two police officers are sniggeringly suggested to be homosexuals.
Language: Abundant profanity.
Consumerism: Primarily references to other horror movies.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Alcohol is very popular on this campus, who knew?

More on Scream 2

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the sneaky way the script talks up the effects of violence in the media upon society (even the killer's secret game plan involves the controversy), but indulges in the same violence. Is SCREAM 2 making a serious point about the negative effects of screen terror, or just pretending to while it becomes a thrill-ride massacre itself?

What's the story?

What's the story?

SCREAM 2 starts with the stabbing deaths of a couple (Omar Epps and Jada Pinkett-Smith) in a theater by an assailant wearing the same black robe and mask from the first movie. Meanwhile, Scream survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is in college. This new spate of murders -- and further threatening phone calls from the unknown killer -- bring massive media attention to the university, including a return visit from sensationalist reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), Woodsboro deputy Dewey (David Arquette), and even the twitchy, `innocent' man (Liev Schreiber) that Sidney mistakenly accused of killing her mother years before. Randy (Jamie Kennedy), now a film student, compares what's going on to the time-worn clichés in the slasher movies that he's watched.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Given that the sequel to the blockbuster shocker Scream was cranked out rapidly (by the same filmmaking team of director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson), premiering in theaters a year after the hugely profitable original, the quality is actually pretty good. Once again, it's a sharp `whodunit' swathed in the clichés of a Hollywood slasher-horror film, with characters who are amusingly aware of how these things normally play out. In this feature the clever banter is broadened to include the alleged racism when black characters are the first to die (you might remember Omar and Jada) and the effects of violence in cinema and TV spilling into real-life mayhem (you might remember Get Rich or Die Tryin'). But those dialogues rarely go deep into the topic or take any definite moral position. Scream 2 mainly works on the level of a fiendish, darkly-humorous murder mystery.

Maybe because the casualties are no longer underaged, or the slashing isn't quite so savage, or maybe even because there's a growing affection between squabbling Gale and Dewey (actors Arquette and Cox became a real-life married couple), the results don't feel quite as grisly. Still, SCREAM 2 is a solid `R' for content, and therefore is not recommended for kids, tweens, and younger teens.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Dimension
Director: Wes Craven
Cast: David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Neve Campbell
Genre: Horror
Run time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release: December 12, 1997
DVD release: August 12, 2001
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: violence, mature themes, profanity

This review was written by Charles Cassady Jr.
 
 

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What parents & educators say

15

Most useful reviews by all members

SumBO
kid, 13 years old
 
teens
There's alot of Gore and Violence, and Language. Good storyline, good ending, No Sexual Content. Ok for mature teens, or younger teens if you can handle blood!

kayvan_922
teen, 16 years old
 

Sanjay407
kid, 13 years old
 

zasderfght
teen, 14 years old
 
A worthy follow up to the original masterpiece.
Scream 2 is a great follow up to the original masterpiece in every way. Now two years after the series of brutal crimes is back again, but this time it's happening in a different location and the kills might have a link to the previous kills committed in the first film. I have to say the sequel was really great. We had our favorite stars from the original such as Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Jamie Kennedy. Also, the same directors and writers are back again with Scream. It's bloodier, it's gorier, it's scarier. What more could you ask? I also appreciated that they cut down on the suggestive dialogue from the original and went straight to the point with the murders. Fans of the original Scream will not be disappointed. For sexual content, a couple is about to have an affair. You see a female taking off her coat. But they are interrupted. Some sexual references and innuendoes. For violence/gore there are numerous amounts of killings and stabbings, mostly committed by the killer. In the opening scene a man is in a bathroom stall and he gets impaled in his right cheek with a knife, from the next bathroom stall. A woman is stabbed around seven times in a theatre and you hear screaming and see gashes of blood. In another scene, a woman is shot in the head numerous times. A woman is stabbed several times in the abdomen and thrown off a balcony. A man is stabbed several times in the arm, but he survives. A man is seen slammed against a wall and you see blood coming out. A woman shoots a man and you see gashes of blood. Many other violent scenes should be noted. For profanity, there are around 20 f words and it's derivatives, there are some s words, a words, uses of blasphemy, name-calling, b words, reference to "bang", mild profanes such as D**n and hell. For consumerism, a woman watches the horror movie "Nosferatu". Characters constantly make references to old horror films. Characters get the "Ghostface" costume during a premiere of a film called "Stab". For drug content, characters drink and smoke, especially at a party being held. I would recommend this film to people that can stomach some bloody violence and that can take multiple swear words. There really is no sexual content, just some innuendoes. For violence, there are multiple scenes of the killer stabbing people to death. There are really no "positive" role models and it sends a bad message. Despite that, Scream 2 is a blast.

PeterE472
teen, 14 years old
 
perfect for early teens
i liked it wasn't the scariest movie i've ever seen but it was ok

 
its bad but however...
i love this movie i think the first and second movies were too violent 4 kids cause i a person gets stabbed in a ear and shoot in the head with an equalizer and police gun in close view and person get stabbed with a pole however i call this a good movie scream 3 sucks agree

JamesRobertson
parent of and 7 , 11 , 14 , 17 year old
 

SshamrockK
kid, 12 years old
 
good movie for teens and mature tweens
I thought this movie was the most violent of the first three. some language but not a lot. this movie had a good plot. the movie was very suspenseful. good for teens and mature tweens.

Seminolefreak
teen, 14 years old
 
An Awesome sequel!! Craven nails it perfectly!
My MPAA Rating R: Strong bloody violence, strong language, drinking, terror, and brief sex-elated material

tangoorange
kid, 12 years old
 
Its alright for 11+
it wasnt even that scary just gross and swearing. Could u make scream look scarier?

bradley4846
teen, 17 years old
 
decent sequel
yes, there is swearing. including the fword, sword. There is violence, but not to much blood. it is a very tame r rated movie

davidguitar15. ...
teen, 17 years old
 
Great movie
Great movie....even better then first..has lots of language but not as bad as hostel...man i hate hostel....but scream 2 is awesome.

BlueCastle
kid, 10 years old
 
Randy died in the van
not a lot of cussing just like mild in some scenes. I have seen all most all the scream movies.In this 1 they make a STAB MOVIE.DA DA

antoineisthebest
teen, 15 years old
 
for teen
ok not bad it had a lot of suspense

lucas201
teen, 15 years old
 
great.
Since i love the scream movies i thought it was great.

Jaysnake
teen, 16 years old
 
A very gory movie that's just as good as the original
I thought this movie was very bloody and voilent with lots of swearing. It's very suspesful aswell with a good plot

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