'Scary Movie' Plays the Hits, But Mostly Misses

We all know what we’re getting into with the Scary Movie franchise. It’s going to be gross. It’s going to be irreverent. And it’s going to be filled with lots of jokes about other movies, mostly from the horror genre. The formula has been the same since the 2000 original, itself paying homage to a spoof genre made famous decades earlier by the Zucker brothers, Mel Brooks, and others. The new film very much fits into that framework and even tries to update it in some ways. But, for the most part, it’s never consistently funny or interesting enough to work overall. After losing control of the franchise for its three most recent installments, this sixth Scary Movie is back in the hands of the Wayans family. Marlon and Shawn write, produce, and star, while various other members of the family pitch in either in small cameos or behind the camera. It’s truly a family affair, and that chip on their shoulder from losing the franchise for all this time plays a big role in the film. Directed by Michael Tiddes, the sixth Scary Movie (just called Scary Movie) follows the formula of the fifth Scream (just called Scream) almost religiously. The Ghostface killer is back, and they’re targeting a yo