Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Scream”
As the first “Scream” movie not to be directed by Wes Craven, 2022’s “Scream” (which continues the baffling trend of modern-day horror sequels sharing the same title as the original) already faced an uphill battle. Though Craven’s last installment, 2011’s severely underrated “Scream 4,” tried and failed to reinvigorate the franchise, that hasn’t stopped directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from trying to breathe new life into the series once again. But while the movie is clearly designed to cater to longtime fans (mainly through the return of legacy characters played by Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette and more), it ends up having an adverse effect, as it seems overly obsessed with connecting the new characters to the previous films even though it doesn’t really add much to the story. There’s also some particularly bad decision-making on display from characters who should know better, while the killer(s) and their motivation leave a lot to be desired. For all of its flaws, however, 2022’s “Scream” is still a fairly decent installment that contains some good laughs and brutal kills. It may not revive the franchise in the way that the studio hoped, but if nothing else, it will introduce a new generation of fans to Craven’s original 1996 classic.
Extras include an audio commentary by directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, and executive producer Chad Villella, as well as a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes and some deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“Death on the Nile” — Kenneth Branagh’s first foray into Agatha Christie’s extensive catalog of murder mysteries may not have lit the world on fire, but it’s a solid thriller that boasts a great cast, impressive visuals and some good performances, especially Branagh as mustachioed detective Hercule Poirot. But while “Murder on the Orient Express” showcased enough potential to suggest that Branagh could continue making Poirot movies for the rest of his career, “Death on the Nile” serves as a pretty convincing counterargument. Not only is the film incredibly dull, but its big twist is so predictable and obvious that you’ll be second-guessing yourself the whole way through. The cast also completely underwhelms, with no real standout performances, including Branagh, who isn’t as engaging this time around. Though “Death on the Nile” has its moments, they’re too few and far between to make any difference. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film and deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
