Movie Breakdown: Fear Street Part One: 1994
Pre-Screening Stance:
I’m not familiar with director Leigh Janiak or the majority of the folks that are starring in her Fear Street Trilogy for Netflix, but I did absolutely love R.L. Stine’s books when I was a kid. This is definitely an adaptation that I’d love to see soar!
Post-Screening Ramble:
I had fun with Fear Street Part One: 1994. Just like any good teen slasher flick, it starts by running down the status of its principal kids. There’s Deena (Kiana Madeira), a moody teen dealing with a break-up, and her brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.), a “nerd” that likes chatting on AOL and researching the litany of murders that have happened throughout the history of Shadyside (their hometown). You’ve also got Deena’s two pals, the attitude-wielding and drug selling combo of Kate (Julia Rehwald) and Simon (Fred Hechinger), and her ex, Sam (Olivia Scott Welch). Naturally, they’re all caught up in their own shit, but that becomes a thing of the past when they suddenly realize they’re being hunted.
On just a pure horror movie front, Fear Street Part One: 1994 works pretty damn well. The lore is good, the kills are gnarly and fun, the characters are compelling and there are some super solid scares. I also liked the performances, and the film itself has a very modern bend but also features plenty of 90s touches that give it a really nice throwback feel. Kudos to director Leigh Janiak for all of this! I do, however, think that its plethora of ties to the other two films in its trilogy don’t really do it any favors. It should play at least somewhat like a standalone effort, but the constant setups and references to what’s still to come bloat it to the point of feeling less like a movie and more like a really long episode. Is this a deal killer? Not at all. But it will leave you wondering why the story is being told across three movies instead of a 10-episode series.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 will hit Netflix this Friday, July 2. You should for sure give it a whirl if you’re into slasher films.
One Last Thought:
Maya Hawke has reached a point where she looks exactly like her mother (Uma Thurman, in case you somehow didn’t already know this).
