Publication Date: 06-02-2026

Scary Movie (2000) review

Dir. Keenen Ivory Wayans

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★★

The Scary Movie franchise remains such a cultural touchstone for my generation. Despite the first two movies being R-rated, I remember both being topics of conversation amongst my friends as early as fourth grade. A young movie-lover like me had a leg-up on the films they were parodying, but even if you didn’t, their unabashed silliness, perverse humor, and the way in which they eviscerated horror clichés with tongue-in-cheek scrutiny.

In all seriousness, however, my love affair with the series was mainly thanks to the second and third movie. Sitting down to watch Scary Movie again this week, it dawned on me this recent viewing was probably only my third. I’ve seen Scream more times. Revisiting this series is like being reacquainted with an old friend, while also serving as a reminder of why these films, beyond their comedy, are so beloved. Horror fans are passionate, but most are often able to laugh at the foibles and predictabilities of the genre as a whole.

Is there any point in trying to summarize the plot of Scary Movie? The film opens with Carmen Electra dressing up like Drew Barrymore and answering a phone call with an anonymous creepy voice on the other line. A few beats after revealing her scary movie to be Kazaam! with Shaquille O’Neal, she is scene running through sprinklers in her underwear while being chased by a kitschy Ghostface.

In a nod to I Know What You Did Last Summer, a killer is targeting a group of friends — Cindy (Anna Faris), her boyfriend, Bobby (Jon Abrahams), Brenda (Regina Hall), Shorty (Marlon Wayans), Ray (Shawn Wayans), and Buffy (Shannon Elizabeth) — who inadvertently killed a man almost a year ago. Fear not. Deputy Doofy (Dave Sheridan) is on the case, even though he has a propensity to soil himself, as is a pushy, self-indulgent reporter named Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri).

While everyone involved gets their own moment and/or set-piece to shine, the scene-stealers are the Wayans brothers, who conceptualized the project alongside their older brother, Keenen Ivory, who serves as director. Marlon’s obnoxious stoner Shorty makes rudimentary scenes his own, such as a moment when he’s interviewed by Gail in effort to describe his classmate Drew. Meanwhile, Shawn’s closeted gay character Ray is fodder for more than a couple hilarious moments. In clear homage to Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, Faris’ Cindy Campbell is a lovely lead. Beyond her charisma, the Wayans’ script (written in conjunction with several others) allows her to bear the brunt of a lot of the absurd situations. She’s not absolved. Nobody is. Not even basic decency.

My review of Scary Movie 2
My review of Scary Movie 3
My review of Scary Movie 4
My review of Scary Movie 5
My review of Scary Movie (2026)

Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Jon Abrahams, Shannon Elizabeth, Dave Sheridan, Cheri Oteri, and Carmen Electra. Directed by: Keenen Ivory Wayans.