Scream is certainly a dated film in many ways. It's on-the-nose meta comments lack ambition and seem downright hacky in the age of Cabin In The Woods and Tucker & Dale vs Evil. I think, however, it's important to note Scream as a stepping stone to the more insightful satire we enjoy today, and appreciate the commentary it provided at the time. Beneath all the practically directed-into-the-bullseye-center-of-the-camera "THIS IS A HORROR MOVIE" winks, Scream actually achieves some worthwhile social commentary. Some of it's points are even still valid i.e. the news media's celebration and encouragement of mass violence. It may seem cynical and satirical to see reporters getting in adolescents faces to hound them over brutal acts of violence in the film, but put up against modern coverage, it just brings a sad nod of "Yeah, those people are horrible." Scream does not stand the test of time, but achieves the next best thing: it sits as a perfectly fossilized relic of the mindset the culture once rested in.