Fear Street Part One: 1994 – Film Review
by Fran Winston

Directed by: Leigh Janiak
Starring: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Maya Hawke

Available on Netflix July 2nd

Based on R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series this is the first part of a trilogy of movies. However, you won’t have to wait months or years for the follow-ups as Netflix will be releasing them weekly.

This opening instalment kicks off with a bang as a teenager is stalked through the Shadyside Mall by a slasher killer. It echoes murders that have occurred in the town for as long as there have been records and a group of teenagers discover that the terrifying events that have occurred throughout the decades may be connected to each other and that they may be the next targets.

This does a great job of setting up the story for the weeks to come. It has lots of retro slasher appeal and an absolutely banging soundtrack (you’ll definitely be hitting Spotify to check out the tracks).

Its predominately teen cast work well together and it never feels like the material has been watered down to accommodate them. There is more than the odd nod to other classics of the genre and it also has shades of Stranger Things about it, which I’m sure is intentional given the success of that show.

This is great fun and extremely entertaining. It is creepy and gory enough for horror fans but it also has enough layers and twists to keep fans of drama happy. While it doesn’t work as a standalone movie – given that it ends setting up part two – the fact that the rest of the trilogy is being released over the coming weeks means you don’t have long to wait to see where the story goes.

Definitely put this on your viewing list this weekend.