Scream VI

The enduring horror franchise moves from small-town California to New York City with this roller-coaster sixth outing. In the absence of erstwhile central figure Sidney Prescott (this is the first Scream without Neve Campbell), the plot centres again on sisters Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam (Melissa Barrera) as they move to the Big Apple, determined to put Ghostface behind them. When another killer strikes, they attempt to unmask them, with a little help from returning media hound Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and FBI special agent Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere, making a franchise return after 2011's Scre4m). By moving the action to New York, co-directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (Ready or Not) confidently put their own stamp on a saga they took over after the death of Wes Craven. The city itself works as an unfamiliar and intimidating slayground, and the narrative makes good use of the subway system as a place where terror could be lurking behind any platform pillar. While the killings aren't as inventive as in previous instalments, the focus on character works in the film's favour, and there are reassuring indications of a new lease of life for this belatedly prolific horror franchise.