'Scream 3 (2000)' represents a marked drop in quality from the previous 'Scream' outings, slipping into relatively dull and repetitive territory after its fairly strong opening sequence. However, Wes Craven's top-quality direction keeps things feeling fresh and fast-paced even when the narrative is at its least effective, and it actually isn't too long before the picture finds its footing as an enjoyable and engaging slasher. Though the change in writer is evident, the movie's 'trilogy' satire still works rather well and its core characters are as compelling as ever. There's a lot less of Sidney this time around, though, which is a shame; it's when she enters the picture more prominently that things really start to pick up. The film does a good job at wrapping its series up in a self-aware yet satisfying way, revisiting moments from the first flick in a suitably meta fashion. Though a couple of its retroactive reveals do overreach ever so slightly and come close to detracting from the original's stand-alone brilliance, the finale ultimately manages to tie everything off in an entertaining and, for lack of a better word, respectful way. Though it certainly isn't as good as its predecessors, it's still a solid entry in the overall series and a fun horror movie in its own right. 7/10