Production Information:

The final installment of Craven's (WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE) SCREAM trilogy turns in a hyperkinetic, irreverent romp that frenetically swerves between ironic comedy and startling thrills, making for an enjoyable -- if somewhat redundant -- film. After breathing fresh life into the slasher genre with the original SCREAM, and then deconstructing sequels with its sequel (appropriately set on a college campus), the third chapter pays homage to trilogies, from THE GODFATHER to STAR WARS and ALIEN. The screenplay, written by Kruger (ARLINGTON ROAD, REINDEER GAMES), maintains a sharp, self-referential posture, replacing creator Williamson's trademark rapid-fire teenspeak with giddily impossible, logic-defying plot twists engineered to keep the suspense high, though often at the expense of consistency.
The movie - inside - a - movie - inside - a - parody - of - a - film - genre premise earns SCREAM 3 its post-modern stripes, and fuels some of its best moments (especially the interaction between the characters and their STAB 3 doppelgangers), but allows the film to self-indulgently bask in its own cleverness. The action keeps brisk pace with the dialogue and deliver plenty of scares, but become tedious as sequences from the earlier films are reenacted as if they were fresh. SCREAM 3 readily employs the very cliches it satires, but with a strong cast (featuring a manic, hilarious performance by Posey), some great cameos (the best surprises of the film), and a high laugh-to-shriek ratio, holds up to its predecessors, providing plenty of campy film fun. 

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