Scary Movie – The irreverent Wayans arrive in 4K

In Scary Movie, the number 6 disappears from the title, but the saga reunites brothers Marlon and Shawn Wayans, ready to desecrate contemporary horror. Alongside them, Anna Faris and Regina Hall return, protagonists of a comedy that doesn't even spare its own history.

The new chapter brings back Cindy and Brenda, still grappling with a masked killer who turns their lives into a nightmare. Years later, the past returns to haunt them, dragging the protagonists into a new parodic foray into the world of slashers. Ghostface is ready to strike again, but this time no one seems safe from the Wayans' irreverence.

Cancel culture and American politics come under fire with mixed results. The most successful moments arrive when the film lampoons horror conventions, without relying exclusively on the most predictable physical gags.

The parody works best when it laughs at itself

The film ironizes on the tendency to prolong successful sagas even when ideas seem to have run out. The return of Ghostface renews the connection with Scream, the horror saga that Scary Movie has always targeted.

The pacing isn't always effective and some gags are predictable; even the runtime ends up weakening the comedic impact. Yet, the audience's response in theaters confirms the appeal of this irreverent humor. It's not a refined comedy, nor does it try to be: its merit is to recover the edgy spirit of the 2000s and bring back to the big screen a brazen comedy, conceived first and foremost to entertain.

Digitally shot at variable resolution between 5.8K and 8.6K (Sony CineAlta Venice 2), final 4K master for excellent overall rendering with some reservations. Original image format 2.39:1 (3840 x 2160/23.97p), HEVC encoding on BD-66 dual layer. Excellent level of detail with well-defined skin tones and convincing textures in both foreground and background. Thanks to Dolby Vision, the color rendition is vibrant, with brilliant primaries and darker tones in sequences lit by atmospheric lights. Blacks are deep and environments maintain good three-dimensionality. Banding appears with the animated sequence around 42" minutes, but without significantly lowering the overall technical result.

Italian Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) is sufficient to support viewing, but with a proper home theater system, it soon makes the need for a greater stage presence from the rear channels felt. Dialogue and musical score are decent. For sparkling entertainment, one must switch to the original Dolby TrueHD 7.1 with ATMOS objects, which, even if 16-bit, delivers a brilliant soundstage, with clear dialogue and a soundtrack that expands the atmosphere both front and back, with fun panning effects and notable bass. A result below reference peak, though still of excellent quality.

For extra content, Scream Together (8') traces the history of the saga through cast and crew interviews, focusing on the 2000 debut and the return to the characters; Fresh Meat (6') introduces the new entries and talks about the enthusiasm for the sequel; The World of the Wayans (5') explores the Wayans family's working method, while Scene Dissection (9') examines the parodic elements, also with on-set footage and contributions from part of the cast. Italian subtitles. O-Card cardboard slipcover.