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Scary Movie (2000)

Everything you’ve come to expect from a scary movie, and more

Rating: 6/10

Running Time: 85 minutes

UK Certificate: 18

On DVD

The film opens with typical helpless horror film teen Drew Decker (Carmen Electra) being murdered by a crazed but bumbling stalker, who makes creepy phone calls before assaulting his victim. A group of friends including Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris), Buffy Gilmore (Shannon Elizabeth), Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall), and Greg Phillippe (Lochlyn Munro), are also being stalked by the killer, who wants them dead following their cover-up of a car accident which took place the previous Halloween.

Added to the mix are the inevitable pesky reporter Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri), and the typical bumbling policeman Deputy Doofy Gilmore (Dave Sheridan). As the killings come to a head, in true clichéd fashion all the potential victims gather for a wild party, where they can be picked off one by one.

This is a parody of modern horror films from the teen-slasher genre, that pokes fun at some of the biggest hits of recent years. Some of the films sent up include: 'Scream', 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'The Blair Witch Project', The Sixth Sense and The Matrix. The killer is a familiar cross between Ghostface from 'Scream' and Ben Willis of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'. This was a film that opened to plenty of hype and promised much that it largely failed to deliver. The teenagers are two-dimensional and interchangeable. There is far too much sexual humour and vulgarity, which seems to have been used for its own sake without any concern for whether it is actually funny. Corny and silly, this film will appeal most to the lads, who will doubtless enjoy it.

It's Got: Lots of in-jokes for horror fans.

It Needs: To be much cleverer – horror fans are smarter than this movie gives them credit for.

DVD Extras The focus here is on the DVD-ROM features. Extras: Behind the scenes featurette, Additional scenes, Theatrical trailer. DVD-ROM Extras: Enhanced playback track and trivia game, Screenplay viewer, Character profiles, Screensaver, Access to DVD destination site. DVD Extras Rating: 7/10

Summary

This film can be rather silly and vulgar, but may be just what fans of horror need for a bit of very mindless fun on a Saturday night. Many of the in-jokes will go over the heads of those who are unfamiliar with the genre, however.