Can't believe this film came out 6 years ago. Such a shame it didn't make the box office splash it deserved, thereby killing any chance of Screams 5 and 6, and Craven's tragic passing finally puts the nail in that coffin.

This was a smart, punchy return to this great series with all of the major players from both sides of the camera returning after 11 years and giving it their all.

Craven's mastery of suspense is on full display. The way he builds sequences, including finding great details in the performances, is Hitchcock-worthy. He works really well with a young cast despite being in his 70's, and he works with Neve to make Sidney a scream-queen with real compassion and resourcefulness - always emotionally anchoring a series that geeks out on layered meta-narratives, is stuffed with in-jokes, and is jam-packed with deranged psychopaths stabbing, slicing and gutting young people in often farcical 'third-act blood baths'. Neve may be the ultimate scream queen, and is ably supported by Cox and Arquette.

I never understood why this film didn't get more praise, or the kind of box office enjoyed by its predecessors. Were its damning observations about fan-farming internet narcissists a little too accurate..? This review from blu-ray.com is a rare one that does it justice.