Scary Movie (2000) Review
- Comedy Horror Horror Film Reviews
Alex Humphrey- 0
- 5 minutes read
Twenty-five years after its release, Scary Movie remains one of the most recognisable horror comedies ever made. Arriving at the height of the late-1990s slasher boom, the film took aim at genre favourites such as Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Blair Witch Project, wrapping them in outrageous comedy and endlessly quotable gags. Whether you see it as a sharp piece of satire or a product of its time that has aged badly, its influence on both horror and comedy is impossible to ignore.
In the latest episode of Half Hour of Horror, we revisit Keenen Ivory Wayans’ box office smash and ask whether Scary Movie still works in 2025. Looking back at a film that generated an entire franchise, we explore how closely it follows the structure of Scream, why that approach helped make it such a success, and whether it missed opportunities to parody a wider range of horror classics.
A large part of the discussion focuses on the film’s legacy and how modern audiences might react to it. While there is plenty of affection for its funniest moments, particularly its absurd takes on slasher movie tropes, the episode also examines some of the humour that feels considerably less comfortable today. The conversation explores how attitudes have changed over the last quarter of a century and whether some of the film’s more controversial jokes now overshadow its sharper satire.
We also take a closer look at the performances that helped elevate the material, including Anna Faris’ breakout turn as Cindy Campbell and Regina Hall’s scene-stealing supporting role. Alongside the cast, we discuss the Wayans brothers’ influence on parody cinema, the remarkable commercial success of the original film, and how Scary Movie helped launch a wave of movie spoof films that dominated the early 2000s.
With a brand-new Scary Movie in cinemas now, there has rarely been a better time to revisit the film that changed horror parody forever. Listen to the full episode below as we dive into the laughs, the legacy and the lasting impact of one of horror’s most divisive comedy hits.
