Scary Movie

There’s merit to the theory that contemporary wokeness, cancel culture, ideological extremism and knee-jerk outrage have all fueled the unfortunate demise of edgy parody-style comedy.

However, Scary Movie doesn’t make a very strong argument for fighting back against self-righteous pearl-clutchers. Instead, it’s another nail in the coffin for a subgenre whose heyday dates back more than a generation.

This sixth installment of this low-brow franchise is the first new chapter since 2013. Maybe that hiatus is why it ditches a sequel number. But the title isn’t the only thing that feels recycled.

You’d think after more than a decade away, series creators Shawn and Marlon Wayans could find a way to refresh the formula rather than trotting out the same scattershot assembly of slapstick sight gags and raunchy one-liners, by now aimed more at grumpy old men than desensitized youngsters.

Edgy and crass is the primary point, as if trying to offend or push the boundaries of good taste is prioritized over actually being funny. However, too many of the attempted zingers are stale or labored, resembling outtakes from 20 years ago.

The Wayans siblings reunite with primary collaborators Regina Hall and Anna Faris for some irreverent send-ups of horror flicks including Sinners, Weapons, Get Out, Smile, The Substance, and others.

Along the way, they poke fun at racial stereotypes and right-wing extremism, in addition to wide-ranging satirical targets such as artificial intelligence, Gen Z entitlement, influencers and streamers, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Michael Jackson. And apparently, somebody thought O.J. Simpson jokes are still a thing.

Those references all revolve around a loosely constructed plot tweaking the similarly elongated Scream series, about a masked serial killer terrorizing a suburb.

As directed by Wayans regular Michael Tiddes (A Haunted House), some sketches are obviously more amusing than others, with big laughs outweighed by lazy punchlines or uninspired payoffs.

Whenever the momentum lags, the script defaults to the usual jab involving weed, homosexuality, and bodily functions. Or it checks a name off its list of cameos.

Both self-deprecating and self-congratulatory, the new Scary Movie is a lame retread of a concept that — like many of its characters — just refuses to die.

Rated R, 96 minutes.