Netflix’s Fear Street Part I: 1994 Early Review

Fans of the Goosebumps series will be exceptionally spoiled with the release of the Fear Street trilogy of films of course adapted from the Fear Street series written by R. L. Stine with each releasing weekly starting this Friday with Fear Street Part I: 1994 before carrying over to the following two films set in 1978 and 1666 respectively.

Fear Street Part I: 1994 introduces viewers to several teenagers who are all friends and attend the same high school – Deena (Kiana Madeira), Simon (Fred Hechinger) and Kate (Julia Rehwald). Their town of Shadyside has a dark past thanks to an urban myth dating back to the 16th century and connected to a witch said to have been killed by the townsfolk, earning the town and its people a curse placed on them. Locals believe that it was the curse causing the many unexplained murders that plagued the town.

Though there is definitely a distinct feeling to this film that is undeniably like the Goosebumps series. its opening is reminiscent of another famous film in the slasher genre where the connections were so obvious that they were almost laughable. That being said, it still provided some solid entertainment. Once the film moves on from that homage, its actual story behind the macabre murders in Shadyside isn’t all that bad.

Meanwhile, placing the story of this film trilogy within three different eras is a genius idea and one that looks to be paying off so far in Fear Street Part I: 1994. However, as much as many viewers may have loved the 1990s, they also don’t need to be bombarded with every 1990s hit song ever released. Nostalgia may be a big thing right now and often works when it’s done right but its execution here comes off as a bit tacky. However, it will be interesting to see if the following two films in the trilogy follow the same template. While this film’s villains were scary, Skull Mask was way too much like another famous horror film killer therefore it’s tough to shape up thus the film is just better off not to try.

After Fear Street Part I: 1994, it feels way too early to say that the Fear Street trilogy will even come close to dominating slasher TV. Here’s to hoping that the next two films in the trilogy deliver something a little gorier and scarier.

still courtesy of Netflix

For more, please follow me on Twitter and Letterboxd or visit my blog. 

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

juliegnz