Every ‘Scary Movie’ Film, Ranked

The Scary Movie franchise isn’t exactly what anyone would refer to as “peak comedy.” It is, however, a series that reliably kept general audiences entertained for 90 minutes. The movies, most of which star the irreplaceable Anna Faris and Regina Hall, are silly and absurd, with jokes so dumb, crass, and occasionally corny that many might often feel embarrassed when they find themselves giggling along. These spoof movies mock contemporary horror films and clichés of their era. They inspired multiple copycats, each worse than the previous one, and none capable of recreating the original’s unexpected success.

Like so many franchises, the Scary Movie series is inconsistent, chaotic, and irresistible; it ranges from comedy cult classics to Scary Movie 5. However, there is something to be said about its sheer commitment to absurdity and stupidity. When looking at the five together, it’s not difficult to declare which of the Scary Movies is the best. The series’ early entries are not only the best-received but the most beloved among modern audiences – but is Scary Movie 3 better than Scary Movie? The answer might shock more than one.

‘Scary Movie V’ (2013)

Director: Malcolm D. Lee

It’s not an overstatement to say Scary Movie 5 is among the worst movies ever made; it makes its predecessors look like masterpieces. This movie has so much contempt for the intelligence of its viewers it’s shocking. There’s no sugar-coating it; it’s bad in every way. Even dreadful films are usually aware of the fundamentals of movie-making, like spatial awareness and basic editing – not Scary Movie 5, a movie that fails miserably at even these simplest tasks.

The film attempts to spoof Paranormal Activity and other films like Mama and Black Swan, but there isn’t a laugh to be found. It’s hard to reconcile that people were paid good money to make this travesty, especially with so many talented artists working their butt off to get by. While watching this train wreck, the average viewer will feel embarrassed for everybody involved, especially Ashley Tisdale and Simon Rex, two actors who are way too good to be involved in this trash. Some movies really shouldn’t exist; Scary Movie 5 is one.

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‘Scary Movie 2’ (2001)

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans

While no great feat, Scary Movie 2 alleviates some of the issues that plagued the original Scary Movie. For one, Scary Movie 2 parodies some of the all-time best horror movies, including The Exorcist, The Haunting, Poltergeist, and The Amityville Horror. It also has the added strength of great comedy actors like Tim Curry, Chris Elliot, and David Cross, elevating average material.

While not a comedy revelation, Scary Movie 2’s jokes are decent and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. The cinematography, sound design, acting, and visual effects are a big improvement from its predecessor, mainly because of the increase in the budget. However, its music and gross-out gags are more overdone in this sequel, often threatening to take the film in uncomfortably unfunny directions. Like other uneven and overly vulgar comedies, Scary Movie 2‘s quality depends on the mood of whoever is watching it. With that said, viewers should watch it only if they’re already in a good mood.

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‘Scary Movie’ (2000)

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie is a weird movie. There are plenty of jokes that haven’t aged well and are politically incorrect – maybe even cruel by today’s standards. However, it rises, if not necessarily soars, on the strength of a perfectly-chosen cast that vastly improves what’s on paper. Faris and Hall are comedic geniuses, and their abilities are on full display here. However, the supporting cast is equally impressive, with Shannon Elizabeth and Jon Abrahams embracing the film’s unhinged humor.

Still, not everything is great. Primarily a parody of the Scream films, Scary Movie’s biggest failure is that Scream is already a meta satire of horror films and a far more clever, funny, and memorable one, for that matter. It might seem easy to discard Scary Movie as the film equivalent of a photocopy of a photocopy. However, there is genuine genius in what it did: launching a franchise, initiating a cinematic movement that marked the noughties, and propelling the careers of many of its stars. Scary Movie is stupidly brilliant, surprisingly quotable, and annoyingly entertaining. It offers nothing more than what it advertises, and how many films can say that?

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‘Scary Movie 4’ (2006)

Director: David Zucker

Scary Movie 4 is the second film in the franchise directed by legendary spoof director David Zucker, who co-directed some of the best American comedies of all time, including Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Scary Movie 4 is so lightweight and breezy that when it ends, it feels like no time has passed at all. It’s a welcome mockery of the J-horror craze of the early noughties, torture-porn like the Saw series, and alien invasion blockbusters, primarily Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds.

Leslie Nielsen brings his legendary spoof credentials to the floor, portraying the incompetent and bizarre President of the USA. His scene parodying GW Bush’s infamous “My Pet Goat” fiasco is a stand-out. Anna Faris reliably kills it and remains the funniest attribute of the entire series. Her wistful inclinations and earnest naivety provide even the silliest jokes with a layer of truthfulness. Hall’s Brenda also miraculously returns after her apparent death in the previous entry, mainly because this series is nothing without her and Cindy. Scary Movie 4 is a relentlessly entertaining, turn-your-brain-off experience and a satisfying end to the Scary Movie saga as fans knew and loved it.

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‘Scary Movie 3’ (2003)

Director: David Zucker

The first of the series to be helmed by David Zucker, Scary Movie 3 is the most consistently funny entry. It spoofs massive pop-cultural hits like The Ring, the Matrix films, 8 Mile, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs and features many welcome additions to the series. Cindy Campbell is now a TV journalist investigating cryptic alien crop circles and a mysterious tape that kills its victims seven days after they view it.

With the exit of the Wayans from the series, the entire success of the movie is thrust onto Anna Faris and Regina Hall’s capable shoulders; suffice it to say, they more than delivered. Faris has amazing comedic chemistry with Simon Rex and spoof veteran Charlie Sheen, who nail their roles as brothers who own a farm, parodying the Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix characters from Signs. The most well-written, tightly paced, and clever out of the five Scary Movie films, Scary Movie 3 excels not only as a spoof movie but as a genuine comedy, thanks to its memorable gags and willingness to be something more than just a cheap mockery of horror movies.

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