Scary Movie

In the summer of 2000, a low-budget horror spoof with an ensemble cast of relative unknowns crashed into theaters and changed the comedy landscape overnight. Scary Movie, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by a team including Shawn and Marlon Wayans, took aim at the late-1990s teen horror boom, particularly the Scream franchise, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Blair Witch Project. The film's blend of slapstick, gross-out gags, and meta-references struck a chord with audiences, grossing over $278 million worldwide on a $19 million budget.

The plot follows high school student Cindy Campbell and her friends as they are stalked by a masked killer one year after a hit-and-run accident. Anna Faris, in her breakout role, plays Cindy with a perfect mix of wide-eyed sincerity and comic timing. The cast also features Shannon Elizabeth, Lochlyn Munro, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Regina Hall, each parodying familiar horror archetypes. The film's humor is relentless, with jokes ranging from clever satirical nods to outright absurdity, including a now-infamous post-credits dance sequence set to Sisqó's "The Thong Song."

Despite mixed reviews from critics, who praised its energy but criticized its reliance on juvenile humor, Scary Movie became a cultural phenomenon. It revitalized the parody genre, paving the way for a wave of similar films in the 2000s, and launched a franchise that would span five installments. The film's success also cemented the Wayans brothers' reputation as comedic innovators and turned Anna Faris into a household name.[edit]

Scary Movie opens with a parody of the famous Scream opening scene: Drew Decker (Carmen Electra) is home alone, watching a horror movie, when she receives a threatening phone call. The killer toys with her before brutally murdering her and her boyfriend. The scene sets the tone for the film's irreverent take on horror conventions.

One year later, we meet Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris), a sweet but somewhat clueless high school student. She and her friends—Bobby Prinze (Jon Abrahams), Buffy Gilmore (Shannon Elizabeth), Greg Phillippe (Lochlyn Munro), Ray Wilkins (Shawn Wayans), Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall), and Shorty Meeks (Marlon Wayans)—are driving home from a party when they accidentally hit a man with their car. Panicking, they flee the scene, leaving him for dead.

Now, a year after the accident, the group is being stalked by a masked killer who looks exactly like Ghostface from Scream. The killer begins picking them off one by one in increasingly absurd ways. Drew is the first to die, followed by Greg, who is killed while trying to have sex with Buffy. The murders are graphic but played for laughs, with the killer using everything from a giant knife to a flying bookcase.

Cindy becomes convinced that the killer is targeting them because of the hit-and-run. She tries to warn her friends, but they dismiss her fears. Meanwhile, the local sheriff, Doofy Gilmore (Dave Sheridan), who is a parody of Deputy Dewey from Scream, investigates the murders with the help of a sleazy reporter, Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri).

As the body count rises, Cindy and the remaining survivors—Bobby, Buffy, Ray, Brenda, and Shorty—attend a house party. The killer strikes again, and the group is forced to fight back. Cindy, who has been studying horror movies, uses her knowledge to try to survive. The film parodies iconic scenes from The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, and The Blair Witch Project along the way.

The investigation leads to several red herrings, including the school's creepy janitor and Bobby's overbearing mother. But the killer always seems one step ahead. As the party descends into chaos, the survivors realize that the killer might be closer to them than they think.[edit]