Some may prefer the R-rated Wayans Brothers style, others may go for the more "traditional" (but still frequently 'gross') David Zucker PG-13 approach, but how much you'll enjoy a SCARY MOVIE is going to depend pretty much on how much you were affected by any of the movies they're doing (we already KNOW that they know how to replicate them). The good thing about this is that it works whether you loved the originals OR hated them!
To recap my feelings...
SCARY MOVIE--frequently hilarious
SCARY MOVIE 2--almost worthless
SCARY MOVIE 3--just... "eh."
But this one's pretty damn funny--and despite my previous misgivings, the TV spots only blew the opening and closing gags (no end-titles joke, by the way). And never mind the poster... they do NOT do KING KONG anywhere.
When I first saw JU-ON, I must confess that I never expected to see an AIRPLANE/NAKED GUN take on THAT material... guess we have the success of THE GRUDGE to thank for that... It's that, WAR OF THE WORLDS (Tom Cruise version only, natch) and THE VILLAGE (remember what I said about love it or HATE it?)... the SAW stuff is not a running theme--well, you'll see. And they get all the movies right, and they do them to a turn. Sick of Dakota Fanning's screaming in WAR OF THE WORLDS? Imagine it's HER here. The BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN bit is, frankly, hysterical (sure, most of the intended audience knows OF the movie, but how many have actually SEEN it?), Leslie Nielsen is as dependable as ever, and even Dr. Phil does a good job.
But the biggest surprise? The movie actually contains one genuine SCARE that WORKS! I couldn't believe it... a SCARY MOVIE actually made the audience jump!
I could go on, but there's no point. You already know if you're into it or not--and if you are, this is the best one since the first SCARY MOVIE (though not necessarily the best spoof movie since the original AIRPLANE!).
P.S. Poor Chloris Leachman! I doubt I've ever seen such a veteran actress subjected to such a... sponge bath...
