This trilogy of new horror movies, all directed by Leigh Janiak, has been released onto Netflix in the last few weeks.
The story starts with Fear Street Part 1 – 1994. Shadyside, a small town in America has been plagued by gruesome and apparently random murders for more than 300 years, whilst the residents of nearby Sunnyvale live peaceful and prosperous lives. Legend says that Shadyside is cursed by Sarah Fier, a 17th Century witch. In 1994, after another atrocity, teen Deena, her younger brother and her friends start to uncover the mystery.
This first instalment is an uneven watch. There is a terrific pre-credit sequence as a shop assistant is attacked in a mall. But then it gets really bogged down as the various characters are introduced whilst a series of predictable 90s songs appear on the soundtrack to remind you of the decade the film is set in.
It does pick up in the last act with an extended and ingenious showdown between the kids and the monsters that have been unleashed. Of the cast, only Kiana Madeira as Deena really makes an impression.
The second film, Fear Street Part 2 – 1978, takes us back 16 years. Kids from both towns are staying at a summer camp when more killings start.
This is a much more satisfying and coherent movie. With obvious nods to the Friday 13th series, a washed-out look that feels appropriate for the setting and a score borrowing heavily from horror movies of the 70s, Janiak makes a much better job of evoking the era. A good sense of dread is sustained throughout, and the characters of sisters Ziggy (Sadie Sink) and Cindy Berman (Emily Rudd) are pretty relatable.
The story concludes by taking us back to the origins in Fear Street Part 3 – 1666. We finally learn who Sarah Fier was and why the curse was placed.
Performers from the first two films re-appear in the cast. That may seem like a nice idea but they mostly grate in this period setting. In fact, the first two-thirds are pretty dull. It is only when we are taken back to 1994 for the finale where the loose ends are tied-up and Deena makes a welcome re-appearance, that things pick up.
Overall, this ambitious attempt to bring some popular books to the screen succeeds, but with some reservations.
Fear Street Part 1 – 1994: 6.5 out of 10
Fear Street Part 2 – 1978: 7.5 out of 10
Fear Street Part 3 – 1666: 6 out of 10