Skip to main content

Scary Movie (2026)


Scary Movie is directed by Michael Tiddes, known for A Haunted House and Naked, and while he has shown a knack for broad parody comedy in the past, this film never quite finds its rhythm. Much of the blame falls on the screenplay by Rick Alvarez, which jumps rapidly from gag to gag without establishing enough momentum for many of the jokes to land. The movie constantly feels like it is searching for its next laugh rather than confidently building toward one, resulting in a scattered experience that struggles to maintain energy.

Anna Faris, known for The House Bunny and the original Scary Movie series, returns as Cindy and slips back into the role with ease. Her performance feels very much in line with her previous appearances, capturing the same exaggerated innocence and comedic timing that made the character memorable in the first place. Even when the material isn't particularly strong, Faris remains committed and helps carry the film through some of its weaker stretches.

Olivia Rose Keegan, known for Days of Our Lives and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, plays Cindy's daughter and proves to be one of the better casting choices in the movie. She bears a surprising resemblance to Faris in both mannerisms and comedic delivery, making the mother-daughter dynamic feel believable. Whether intentional or not, her ability to channel some of Faris's energy helps several scenes work better than they otherwise might have.

Regina Hall, known for Girls Trip and the original Scary Movie films, once again demonstrates why she was one of the standout performers of the franchise. She consistently gets the biggest laughs and brings a level of confidence to the absurd material that much of the rest of the cast cannot match. Unfortunately, even Hall's comedic talent can't completely overcome a script that too often mistakes noise for humor.

The biggest issue is that the film feels desperate to be funny rather than naturally funny. Many of the jokes are telegraphed well in advance, and the strongest punchline in the movie is arguably one that audiences already saw in the trailer. When a comedy's best joke has already been used for marketing, it leaves the feature itself with very little room to surprise.

Overall, Scary Movie benefits from the return of familiar faces and a few scattered laughs, but it never captures the irreverent energy that made the earlier entries memorable. The cast does what it can, particularly Anna Faris and Regina Hall, but the writing ultimately lets them down. Scary Movie is a disappointing revival that struggles to justify its return. Result: C-

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Idiots (2026)

Idiots is written and directed by Macon Blair , who also has a small role in the film. The movie feels like Pineapple Express with more character development but worse pacing. There are some genuinely funny scenes that made me laugh out loud, and for a comedy, that's ultimately what it should be aiming for. Blair clearly understands how to write absurd situations and characters, but the film has several pacing problems, with scenes that could have been cut without hurting the overall story. When it works, though, the comedy lands and the character development gives the film more substance than expected. Dave Franco , known for Now You See Me and Neighbors , plays the drugged-out, lazy, down-on-his-luck type of character he has played before. He is entertaining in the role, but his character has very little development or arc throughout the story. O'Shea Jackson Jr. , known for Straight Outta Compton and Den of Thieves , gets the stronger character arc between the two and ma...
Post a Comment
Read more

Insidious: Out of the Further (2026)

Insidious: Out of the Further is written and directed by Jacob Chase , who has made some solid shorts in the past but is making the first major motion picture of his that I've seen. There is very little to criticize about his direction, particularly when it comes to setting up scares. Chase understands how to build tension and makes especially good use of the film's more claustrophobic scenes, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere without relying entirely on cheap jump scares. The direction and horror setup are the film's strongest elements, even if the overall story doesn't quite reach the level needed for a full recommendation. Amelia Eve delivers a performance that feels reminiscent of Naomi Watts in The Ring . She channels that same exhausted and increasingly desperate energy, making her character feel convincing as the supernatural events escalate around her. The performance fits the tone of the franchise well and helps ground the film's more unsettling momen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sleepwalker (2026)

Sleepwalker is a horror thriller written and directed by Brandon Auman , who quickly reminds us why his career has primarily been in television rather than feature films. Writing for children's television can sometimes get away with simplistic dialogue and storytelling, but those weaknesses become glaring when stretched into a feature-length horror movie. The screenplay is filled with clunky dialogue and predictable horror beats, while the jump scares rarely land. Instead of creating tension, the film repeatedly left me sighing in boredom. Hayden Panettiere delivers a strong performance despite the material she's been given. It's clear that many of her lines weren't written with much care, but she does what she can to make the character feel believable. Knowing this is her final film makes the performance bittersweet, especially because she deserved a much better script to go out on. Fortunately, her performance here doesn't diminish the work she's done in bet...
Post a Comment
Read more