What’s your favorite scary movie? The sixth installment of the ‘Scream’ franchise, “Scream VI,” hit theaters on March 10th, killing the domestic box office numbers with an opening of $44.5 million. The film stars Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, and Hayden Panettiere, all reprising their roles from previous installments.

“Scream VI” follows the “Core Four” of the previous movie, Sam, Tara, Mindy, and Chad, as they attempt to move past the memory of the events that happened (time period between the fifth and sixth movie). The “Core Four” find themselves in New York City in hopes of a fresh start. However, they soon find themselves fighting for their lives once again when a new Ghostface emerges and terrorizes the streets of New York, embarking on yet another rampage.

The movie isn’t perfect as there are a few problems with the story, with the main one being that some situations just don’t really make sense. For example, a character has a miraculous recovery from a fatal encounter. However, some of the good aspects of the film were the very gruesome scenes, the many references to the previous installments, and the surprising opening that’s very different from the others. Speaking of surprises, the Ghostface reveal was a big one. It came with a really strong motive, and many won’t see it coming.

“They had something for the original fans and the newer Scream fans,” former student and Scream aficionado Alexis Marfizo said.

Unfortunately, another problem in the movie was most of the third act. The third act seemed rushed, and the obstacles that the “Core Four” dealt with were handled too quickly. For example, Ghostface was dumbed-down so that the main characters could have the advantage against them. The movie set the Ghostface up to be more aggressive and skillful, only for them to be beaten very easily.

Another thing is the movie doesn’t really use the setting of New York City to its advantage. There were a lot of missed opportunities for different chase sequences with this setting, and Ghostface being in a new location could have led to a lot more creativity. The film could have been something exciting and different, but instead gave a dull taste of what seemed like a wasted opportunity.

Although there were some aspects of the film that fans liked, the overall film still left them with distaste and disappointment.

“I just really didn’t like it as a fan that can say she goes die hard for this franchise,” Marfizo said.

Something that wasn’t a problem in the film were the actors, and they gave many great performances. The standout performances in the film were the “Core Four” themselves. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega had an amazing sister dynamic, while Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding added some nice humor to the film.

“I liked the core four,” movie fan Norman Gatewood said. “Their relationship seemed genuine.”

Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere, reprising their roles from the previous films, also did a really great job, and were just as good in the roles as their previous installments.

We were also welcomed with new additions to the franchise, such as Jack Champion’s Ethan Landry, Devyn Nekoda’s Anika Kayoko, and Dermot Mulroney’s Wayne Bailey, all bringing memorable performances into the film.

There was a stacked cast, but we were still missing one big name. Neve Campbell, who played Sydney Prescott in the first five films, was absent from the movie. Campbell declined to be in the sequel due to receiving an inadequate offer to star in the sixth film. 

Fans supported her decision but were also left disappointed that their favorite final girl wouldn’t be included in the franchise’s sixth run. Some “Scream” fans expressed their frustration and confusion.

“I don’t really get it,” horror fan Brynn Wynegar said. “I haven’t seen the movie yet so I’m not sure if that’s for a plot reason.”

Many “Scream” fans felt uncertainty about Sydney’s exclusion, but her absence didn’t ruin the film. Characters get their time in the spotlight, and it makes sense for the story they’re telling. Sydney deserves her happy ending.

Despite the flaws, the writers and cast of “Scream VI” deliver another killer film with the acting and intense scenes. Fans will really appreciate this movie.