SPOILER WARNING! Whilst no significant plot twists are revealed about Scream 2, this review does reveal the plot of the original Scream and if you haven't seen it yet, go and read the Scream review and watch it, because it's a great movie!

The original Scream was so slick, sophisticated and sharp (figuratively, as well as literally) that it spawned a whole new generation of horror films. The sequel was inevitable but with the same writer and director at the helm, it actually manages to surpass the original.

The original Scream had an awesome opening scene, as we watch a strange phone call escalate into a terrifying blood bath. It's an opening that would take some beating, but Scream 2 does just that. We start off with an African-American couple who are going to a movie called Stab, a movie that is written by Gale Weathers (the reporter who was present at the Woodsboro Murders in the original) and is based on what happened to Sidney Prescott in the original Scream. The entire scene is sheer brilliance, beginning with a diatribe from this couple on how 'white' horror films are and then entering a cinema full of screaming and cheering people who are dressed in their free Stab robes and masks, which look just like the real thing. We get to see clips of the opening scene of Stab, where Heather Graham is playing the victim being harassed whilst making popcorn. Having a movie within a movie is just so stylish and the best part is that while the scene follows along the lines of that from the original Scream, the dialogue isn't as good and the scares are a little more obvious! The tension escalates until the inevitable happens and someone is stabbed to death in the movie theatre, unnoticed in all the commotion going on all around. And it beats Scream hands down.

The rest of the film delivers on the promise of its opening and is every bit as fast, slick, witty and intelligent as the original but with more parody and, as the rules dictate, even more blood and gore. Sidney (Neve Campbell) is at university now, living on campus with her friend Hallie (Elise Neal) and her boyfriend Derek (Jerry O'Connel). When news of the cinema murders gets out, Sidney's life is thrown into the limelight once more, as speculation arises that the Woodsboro Murders might be starting up again. The death of a sorority girl confirms this and before long Sidney finds herself at the centre of another killing spree.

As with the first film, there are plenty of people to suspect. The most obvious choice is Derek, the boyfriend, but it couldn't be the boyfriend again - could it? Then there's Mickey (Timothy Olyphant), the slightly unbalanced media studies student, Sidney's drama professor and Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), the man Sidney had convicted as her mother's murderer. After Billy confessed to killing Sid's mother, Cotton was acquitted and is now seeking to share the spotlight with Sidney and get his fifteen minutes of fame to set the record straight that he truly is an innocent man. Dewey Riley (David Arquette) is also in the frame, arriving on campus after he hears of the murders in order to protect Sidney. Meanwhile, Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox Arquette) is prowling around too, covering the unfolding events with cold-hearted glee. And Randy (Jamie Kennedy) is here, having escaped death in the first film and where would we be without him?

Having established the rules of horror movies in Scream, Randy goes on to establish the rules of the sequel; it's never the same guy twice, there's a higher body count, more elaborate death scenes and even more blood and gore. As well as discussing all the suspects with Dewey (including themselves!) we are treated to a media studies debate on whether sequels are ever better than the original! This kind of wit, examination and commentary is present in abundance throughout the film and it is always spot on. The story moves fast and the body count rises quite rapidly - we know that the survivors of the original (namely Sidney, Dewey, Gale and Randy) are in jeopardy once again and might not all make it to the end.

As before, all of the actors put in great performances, with Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette having developed their characters perfectly. Sidney seems sadder than before and quite reclusive, Dewey is still himself but without the youthful exuberance and with a limp, whilst Gale seems as cold and hard as ever, but does begin to show that she has heart, as the danger grows ever nearer. Jamie Kennedy is great as Randy and deconstructs the whole situation as only he can. Liev Schreiber, Jerry O'Connell and Timothy Olyphant all do an excellent job of establishing strong new characters and suspects, whilst Sarah Michelle Gellar puts in an appearance and it's strange to see her running in terror rather than kicking butt as Buffy!

The direction is top notch, with plenty of shocks, scares and freeze frame moments, where you can see the killer approaching but the intended victim is completely unaware. Every scene is handled with great skill and style, gradually raising the tension to boiling point as the story twists and turns and Sidney is stalked, chased and cornered for the grand finale, which is just as good as the original (but I don't think anything could upstage Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich). The stylish music from the first film is back, with Dewey having his own familiar theme tune and tense orchestral stuff for the many chase and slash sequences.

There's nothing spectacular in the extras, which to be honest feel a little bit thin on the ground. There's a mildly entertaining outtake reel, a couple of deleted scenes, a trailer, a brief featurette and a couple of music videos - Master P's Scream and Kotten Mouth Kings' Suburban Life. There's a pretty comprehensive crew biography, along with a few of the cast, while the commentary features producer Marienne Maddalene and editor Patrick Lussier, as well as director Wes Craven.

Scream 2 is a sequel worthy of the original - it builds on the first film and continues its ruthless stabs at the horror genre, whilst delivering a thrilling, tense and thoroughly entertaining horror film in the process.

Reviewed by Geoff Holland for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).