We’re carrying on with a look at Scream, ahead of the grand resurgence of Scream 4 this Friday, as we segue into Scream 2, a copy of which the folks at Lions Gate sent out for us to review. And while this one is starting to wear thin, there’s still quite a bit to enjoy here, so settle in for more of the grand meta-fun that is Scream 2.

Scream 2 takes us back to Woodsboro, where Gail Weathers’ book, The Woodsboro Murders, has been published, and now made into a feature film called Stab. Stab’s doing pretty well at the box office, but this example of art-imitating-life-imitating-art-imitating-life isn’t going to go over well with the killer known as Ghostface, even though we did sort of see Ghostface put paid to back at the end of the previous Scream. Sort of.

Once again, Scream 2 will be a marvelously twisted meta-fest, as we get all sorts of commentary on the natures of Hollywood and movie adaptations of books and how things can get confused when life imitates art, and then only gets weirder when art imitates life imitating art. Plus, of course, for the horror buffs there will be plenty of blood and stabbings to go around. Lots and lots of stabbings.

Plus we’ll get extra fun here, including the return of most of the cast, including former brief mention (now current plot point) Cotton Weary. As well as a whole new set of rules–the rules of the sequel: a bigger body count and more elaborate deaths.

You can see what I mean, though, where it’s clearly all starting to wear just a little thin. It’s the original Scream pretty much the second time, except now they’ve traded innovation for sheer scope. It’s bigger, louder, bloodier, a bit more impressive, and frankly, you can see every jot and tittle coming. Every false start, every red herring…by the time you get to the end, the whole thing is starting to feel like you’ve been here already. The reason you’re feeling that is because, for the most part, you have been here already. Some parts of it are lifted whole and breathing from the original with really only minor alterations.

Still though, it’s a pretty exciting romp, and the last fifteen minutes or so will be packed full to bursting with sparks and shots and blood and even a couple minor explosions, which means it will be great for a night home at the movies.

The Screenhead Ten Scale gives the respectable if somewhat tarnished Scream 2 a seven out of ten. It’s certainly not what the first one was, nor nearly as significant, but it certainly put on a bang-up show in the meantime.