The final installment of the Scream trilogy is an unfortunate departure away from the first two in a couple of major ways, and all seem to stem from who wrote the script. Writing credits are given to Ehren Kruger (The Ring, Arlington Road) instead of franchise creator Kevin Williamson. This departure leads to all the others.
The most noticeable difference is the characters. In the first two, the characters had a certain amount of depth, and were to be taken seriously even if they were a bit eccentric (ie. Randy Meeks, Dewey). Comedic elements came from these eccentricities and from situations that unfolded just as they do in the horror movies Randy discusses in the first two. In Scream 3, there is pretty much no character development whatsoever. So much so it's entirely possible to forget about characters all-together. Additionally, some of these characters are way over-the-top and would be more fit to be in Scary Movie than Scream 3. Another difference is there are several iconic links between the first two that are completely absent in the third.
However, Scream 3 isn't a complete failure. The rules of the third are what they should be and the movie does a good job of sticking to that idea. The story in this sense is fitting as the final chapter in a trilogy, but ultimately, Kruger doesn't seem to quite get it. It's as if Scream 3 is an impostor - something like out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It may look like Scream, and it tries to act like Scream, but it's not Scream - even if some casual passer-byers can't tell the difference. Thus Scream 3 lacks an identity and never figures out what kind of movie it is. Scream 3 seems in search for it's soul which is something it seems it cannot have without Kevin Williamson, even if Wes Craven is directing it.
The most noticeable difference is the characters. In the first two, the characters had a certain amount of depth, and were to be taken seriously even if they were a bit eccentric (ie. Randy Meeks, Dewey). Comedic elements came from these eccentricities and from situations that unfolded just as they do in the horror movies Randy discusses in the first two. In Scream 3, there is pretty much no character development whatsoever. So much so it's entirely possible to forget about characters all-together. Additionally, some of these characters are way over-the-top and would be more fit to be in Scary Movie than Scream 3. Another difference is there are several iconic links between the first two that are completely absent in the third.
However, Scream 3 isn't a complete failure. The rules of the third are what they should be and the movie does a good job of sticking to that idea. The story in this sense is fitting as the final chapter in a trilogy, but ultimately, Kruger doesn't seem to quite get it. It's as if Scream 3 is an impostor - something like out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It may look like Scream, and it tries to act like Scream, but it's not Scream - even if some casual passer-byers can't tell the difference. Thus Scream 3 lacks an identity and never figures out what kind of movie it is. Scream 3 seems in search for it's soul which is something it seems it cannot have without Kevin Williamson, even if Wes Craven is directing it.