If you’re old enough to remember what a landline is, you probably remember the uneasy feeling you got back in 1996 when the phone rang. Answering the call, you half expected to hear “what’s your favorite scary movie?” It’s hard to believe it has been three decades since Wes Craven’s Scream marked a new reign of terror in the world of slasher cinema. It’s equally difficult to believe the latest installment marks the seventh film in the franchise.

Yes, that’s right. Ghostface returns for another franchise attempt, and it’s the worst Scooby-Doo movie ever! I’m only kidding…ish. For the most part, I love this franchise. The realistic twist on the subgenre paired with the who-done-it guessing game? The anticipation for the big reveal and unmasking to see if you were right? It’s all part of the chills, thrills, and fun.

Scream 7 doesn’t flip the script much beyond trying to correct the fumbled passing of the torch from 5 and 6. Having sat out the previous film, Neve Campbell reprises her role as Sidney Prescott-Evans who’s now married. Her daughter, Tatum Evans (Isabel May), is now the same age Sidney was when the first Woodsboro Murders started it all. And the trauma is now threatening to circle back and open old wounds through a new generation.

With a new killer on the loose claiming to be Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard: Scream 1996, Scooby-Doo 2002), one of the two original Ghostface killers thought to be dead, phones begin to ring and bodies begin to drop. It doesn’t take long for Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox: Friends TV series, Scream franchise) to arrive and team up with Sidney for another Ghostface mystery and unmasking.

When I heard Lillard was coming back as Stu, I was excited to see how they’d balance the element of surprise with the very public announcement of an old villain’s return. I was intrigued. Did Stu really survive having a TV from the ‘90s dropped on his head? They were a bit heavier than the flatscreens we have today. If he’s alive, was the character just being used as a marketing ploy to boost ticket sales? Or was he going to beg for forgiveness, take on a Shaggy-esque role, befriend a Great Dane, and join team Sidney and Gale to find the real killer? Worse yet, had they ruined the traditional who-done-it guessing game before the film was even released? So many possibilities, and I really was hoping for the best.

The nostalgia element, although occasionally too obvious and on the nose, is overall great. Campbell, Cox, and Lillard deliver standout performances, driving the film forward, while May emerges as a fierce new leading lady with an impressive character arc. Fan favorite characters take the lead and new likable characters are introduced in a way that doesn’t crowd the screen. It doesn’t feel like an overloaded attempt at passing off the torch to a new generation like what we saw in the previous two films.

This Ghostface go-around also features balls-to-the-wall moments of intensity that slasher fans love. In the trailer, when the killer says “I’m gonna burn it all down,” it wasn’t a joke. This installment features a more brutal version of Ghostface than we’ve seen in awhile.

The last redeeming quality of this franchise outing is the incorporation of modern tech. This manages to add another layer of nostalgia in unexpected ways, and contributes to one of the most memorable parts of the film.

If you’re hoping Scream 7 goes off the rails in all the right ways and sets the franchise back on track, you may not want to hold your breath. Despite everything it does right, the film still misses the mark.

While it’s certainly not the worst in the franchise, it doesn’t hold a candle to Scream from the ‘90s. A touch of intended comedy to lighten the mood is welcome. Too much campy humor waters down the sense of unease that made the original a horror classic. It’s one of the reasons why Scream 3 is still one of my least favorites in the franchise. In this latest installment, there are several scenes that feel too unintentionally corny and ridiculous. One example is Gale’s entrance, which comes off like a scene straight out of the Scary Movie franchise. It’s a humorous moment, but it’s comedy I’d rather see in the parody.

Last but not least, the film makes the biggest fumble right at the finish line. The big finale that’s half the fun in this franchise? The reveal of the killer’s identity and motives? They were possibly the weakest in the entire franchise (circle back to my first Scooby-Doo reference), which lead to another joke or two that not only didn’t land, but I’m not entirely convinced were intended.

I hate to say this, especially as a fan, but it might be time for this franchise to hang it up. Put the phone in its cradle and disconnect it from the wall. I’m simply not sure there’s a direction they can take that’s both good and hasn’t been done before. But who knows. Maybe we’ll one day get Ghostface in space.