Scary Movie (2000) MOVIE REVIEW: Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans, Shannon Elizabeth
A History of Horror Movies
Let’s have a little history. Since the beginning of the 20th century up to the 1920s, it was all silent cinema. These include silent horror movies that rely on creepy layouts and background music to convey a sense of fear. The 30’s and 40’s are the Golden Age of Horror with the rise of classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Werewolf. By the 50’s and 60’s, people were no longer afraid of ‘story book monsters’ after experiencing the real horrors of World War II. To simulate war, filmmakers created giant monsters (like Godzilla) and alien invasion movies. The new technology of the 70s and 80s gave rise to slasher flicks and exploitation cinema.
By the late 80s and early 90s, horror movies in general fully embraced tropes and clichés. Filmmakers need to add gimmicks and weird ideas to keep the genre interesting. For instance, the Chuckie and Leprechaun movies created killer monsters with a sense of humor and a colorful personality. The Blair Witch Project adapted the documentary style of filmmaking.
By the 21st century, instead of making horror movies interesting, filmmakers had completely abused the franchise. Why not exploit the cliché and exaggerate it 10 times over? In addition, they went ahead and directly spoof popular horror movies while adding elements that create controversy and attract viewers. That’s exactly what Scary Movie did.
Scary Movie….Movie Review
Plot
The movie opened with Ghostface chasing Drew Decker (Carmen Electra), an obvious reference to Scream. After Drew’s death, the media and the police were all over the school investigating the murder. Cindy (Anna Farris) noticed that the unusual incidents were exactly one year after she and her friends accidentally killed a guy on a road trip. Cindy then received a mysterious note and saw Ghostface for the first time. The rest of the movie is about how Cindy and her friends try to escape the wrath of Ghostface.
Review
Scary Movie was released in 2000. I was 12 years old back then. I was innocent, and I haven’t grasped the concept of parodies and spoofs. After watching Scary Movie, the concept was shot on my face. It was an eye-opener, exposing a mirror of society that my conservative childhood never presented.
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Overall, it is actually a fun movie. It showcases how daring a movie could go without crossing into exploitation cinema. While watching it, you’ll be shocked and laugh at the same time. Everyone should go see Scary Movie. I recommend you watch it with friends, it’s much more fun.
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