Scream: Sidney Prescott’s 10 Best Action Sequences In The Franchise, Ranked

Sidney Prescott, the quintessential “Final Girl” of the 1990s, is finally returning in the upcoming Scream in 2022, 11 years after her last appearance. Her upcoming role in the soft reboot will mark her fifth appearance as the woman who is almost constantly targetted by killers.

Over the span of 25 years and 4 movies, Sidney, along with her friends Dewey Riley and Gale Weathers, evade death at the hands of numerous “Ghostface” killers. In each movie, Sidney finds herself narrowly escaping deathly situations, becoming more and more capable of handling herself against each killer, which allows for some iconic action sequences.

10 Sidney Calls Ghostface A Coward – Scream 2 (1997)

In the 2nd movie in the franchise, Sidney must face a new killer, a copycat of the original that seemingly has a personal vendetta against her. During a scene in which Sidney reluctantly answers a persistent phone call, she is attacked by the killer after calling them a coward and telling them to show their face.

Scream 2 is one of the highest-ranked installments in the Scream franchise, according to IMDb, likely because of its inclusion of gripping action scenes. This scene sees Sidney dodging an attack from Ghostface, pushing them out of her way. It is a moment that shows her physical strength but also highlights that she is terrified of her situation as her voice is shaky while threatening Ghostface.

9 Sidney’s Home Invasion – Scream (1996)

In the movie that started it all, 1996’s Scream, Sidney faces the first iteration of the Ghostface killer who is out to get her for unknown reasons. In one particular scene, Sidney naively calls Ghostface’s bluff while on a threatening phone call, refusing to believe that he is in the same area as her.

Sidney is quickly proven wrong when Ghostface emerges from her closet. Despite being her first run-in with Ghostface, she successfully kicks him several times and evades capture by ingeniously blocking her bedroom door from opening by using another door to keep it firmly secure. This scene acts as a solid introduction to Sidney’s ability to hold her own against a murderous killer.

8 On-Set Chase Sequence – Scream 3 (2000)

While it is considered the lowest-rated of the Scream movies, many people argue that the 3rd movie in the horror franchise is actually the best. This opinion is likely rooted in the movie’s incorporation of innovative chase sequences, ones so elaborate that they showcase Sidney’s smarts and durability.

Throughout a chase sequence on the set of Stab 3, she succeeds in punching the killer, throwing objects at them on the stairs, and pulling them from an open door, and dropping them to the ground below. This scene reflects how much strength Sidney has garnered from the previous two movies, and how capable she is of taking on Ghostface.

7 Sidney Shoots Billy’s Mother In The Head – Scream 2 (1997)

In the 2nd installment of the Scream franchise, one of the Ghostface killers is revealed to be the mother of Billy Loomis, the killer from the original movie in the series. Mrs. Loomis seeks revenge on Sidney for her part in her son’s death and wreaks havoc on her and her loved ones throughout the movie.

In the concluding scene of the movie, Sidney, Cotton, and Gale are almost ambushed by the presumed-dead Mickey, but Sidney and Gale shoot him multiple times. Despite Mrs. Loomis appearing to be dead, Sidney shoots her in the head, as she says “just in case.” This suggests that Sidney is knowledgeable about how these situations could play out, which also adds to the meta-commentary of the series.

6 Sidney Throws Ghostface Down The Stairs – Scream 4 (2011)

In Scream 4, Sidney returns to Woodsboro to promote her self-help book but soon finds herself roped into yet another series of murders by a new Ghostface. Being the 4th time that Sidney has faced off against these masked assailants, she proves just how much she has learned through it all.

One particular scene highlights Sidney’s status as one of Ghostface’s strongest enemies, as she faces off against them. Sidney tackles Ghostface down a flight of stairs, attacks them with a glass picture frame, dodges a knife attack, and kicks them in the face, knocking them off their feet. What makes this scene stand out is that she does not run from the killer, she goes on the offense and almost defeats them.

5 Sydney Confronts Her Half-Brother – Scream 3 (2000)

2000’s Scream 3 was originally intended to be the final movie in the series, however, this plan was scrapped with the release of the sequel, Scream 4, 11 years later. In this movie, the plot of the entire series is brought together through the introduction of Sidney’s half-brother, who, it is revealed, orchestrated the original killings in Woodsboro.

In one of the final scenes in the movie, Sidney becomes incensed as Roman attempts to pass the blame for the murders. She rages that he is responsible, and proceeds to attack him with numerous objects and fight him with her own two hands. It seems almost cathartic for Sidney, as she is faced with the man responsible for years of torment and unleashes every ounce of strength that she has on him.

4 Sidney Kills Stu – Scream (1996)

1996’s Scream sees Sidney tormented by two Ghostface killers, who are revealed to be both her boyfriend, Billy, and his friend, Stu. In the climax of the movie, Sidney is distraught as their identities are revealed, and she attempts to avoid their attacks.

One sequence sees Sidney stabbing Billy, dressed as Ghostface, and then, when attacked by Stu, she bites his hand, and drops a television on his head, crushing and electrocuting him. With rumors circulating about Matthew Lillard’s potential reprisal of Stu in Scream, it is possible that Stu did not die, which would bring Sidney’s journey full circle as she is forced to fight him once more.

3 “Don’t F*** With The Original” – Scream 4 (2011)

2011’s Scream 4, acted as both a sequel and a soft reboot for the franchise, as it featured the original characters and a slew of new ones too. One of those new characters was Jill Roberts, cousin of Sidney Prescott and one of the Ghostface killers who sought the fame and notoriety that Sidney received as a survivor.

While some fans argue that Scream 4 does not live up to the highs of the original movie, there is no doubt that it was a worthy addition to the franchise. What makes this installment stand out is Emma Roberts’ impressive portrayal of a Ghostface murderer with one of the highest kills in the Scream series who actually came close to killing Sidney. Jill is ultimately defeated by Sidney, who uses a defibrillator and a gun on her, iconically declaring to her cousin to “don’t f*** with the original.”

2 “You’re Forgetting One Thing About Billy Loomis…” – Scream 2 (1997)

The second installment in the Scream franchise, Scream 2, was released to similar acclaim to the first movie. An essential aspect of the Scream movies that make or break audience opinion is their endings, which Scream 2 has with its crowd-pleasing conclusion.

While Mickey is considered one of the worst killers in the Scream franchise, there is no denying that Sidney gaining the upper hand over him is one of the most thrilling moments in all of the movies. Sidney reminds Mickey that she is the one who killed the original killer, Billy, and she attacks him with a necklace, kicks the gun out of his hand, and holds her own in the ensuing fight.

1 Sidney Kills Billy – Scream (1996)

When considering the legacy of the character of Sidney Prescott, few scenes encapsulate her existence as one of the most iconic “final girls” better than the concluding scene in 1996’s Scream. After Gale Weathers shoots Billy, seemingly killing him, Randy reminds Sidney of the horror trope of the “not-so-dead” killer resurfacing. As Billy suddenly awakens, Sidney, without hesitation, shoots him point-blank in the head, responding to Randy with the simple line: “Not in my movie.”

It is a moment that undoubtedly cements Sidney as one of the most durable survivors in all of horror cinema. Not only is she able to hold her own in a fight, but she regularly outsmarts every Ghostface killer, definitively proving that it will take more than a couple of murderers to take down Sidney Prescott.

About The Author

Ross Phillip
(44 Articles Published)

Ross Phillip is a freelance writer and video editor based in Scotland. As a university graduate in English Literature and Film Studies, he is an experienced writer, particularly in film analysis. In addition to this experience, Ross is utterly passionate about film and television, with a particular love of Breaking Bad and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ross’s love of cinema led to him writing a 10,000-word dissertation on the ability of the movies to provoke a visceral reaction, allowing the viewer to feel what they see on screen.

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