Wes Craven made numerous popular horror movies throughout his career, but, to my surprise, his most notable film somehow has a lower Rotten Tomatoes score than its sequel. Craven is considered a pillar in the horror/slasher community due to his great contributions to the genre. From the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise (which Craven created) to The Last House on the Left, the filmmaker’s influence on horror knows no bounds.

To this day, many horror directors, writers, and producers claim that Craven’s work inspired them to create their own stories. For example, Jordan Peele, one of the most prolific horror filmmakers in recent years, cited a Craven movie as one of his influences while working on Get Out (via Vox). If it weren’t for Craven, the horror (and slasher) genre wouldn’t be what it is today. Nevertheless, it’s shocking that his best film doesn’t also contain his best Rotten Tomatoes score.

Scream 2 Somehow Has A Much Higher Tomatometer Score Than The 1996 Original

The Sequel Has An 82% RT Score

The Scream movies are some of Wes Craven’s best, and even though the first sequel is certainly near the top of the list, it doesn’t beat the original film. However, Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t agree. On the review aggregation website, Scream (1996) has a lower score than Scream 2 — it’s rated 77% compared to the sequel’s 82%.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised Scream 2 for continuing its self-awareness (this time criticizing sequels) while also avoiding the sequel curse. Meanwhile, Scream‘s reviews highlight the movie’s clever meta commentary and iconic opening sequence. However, its critics’ consensus also mentions that it might be “a little too cheeky for some,” likely accounting for the Scream sequel having a higher score.

Why Scream Is Better Than Scream 2

Nothing Can Beat The Original

Wes Craven’s Scream 2 is still a phenomenal movie and an impressive sequel in its own right. Most follow-ups to renowned films crash and burn on sight, and Scream 2 avoided this curse. But to rank it above the franchise’s first slasher film doesn’t make much sense (even if it’s too “cheeky”). Scream is credited with reviving the horror genre in the 1990s and has created a long-lasting legacy that so many films strive to achieve. The original movie started it all, and almost 30 years later, Scream remains relevant and a significant influence in the horror world.

Scream

Movie(s)

Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream 5, Scream 6, Scream 7

Created by

Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson

Cast

Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber, Heather Matarazzo, Hayden Panettiere, Marley Shelton, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Roger Jackson

TV Show(s)

Scream (2015)

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Sources: Vox, Rotten Tomatoes