Fear Street Part One 1994 Review: A Bloody Good Stranger Things Film

 

Release date: July 2, 2021
Running time: 107 minutes
Writers: R.L. Stine (based upon the Fear Street books by), Kyle Killen (story by), Phil Graziadei (story by)
Directed By: Leigh Janiak
Starring: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Maya Hawke, Charlene Amoia, David W. Thompson

In 1994, a group of teenagers discover the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected — and they may be the next targets. Based on R.L. Stine’s best-selling horror series, Fear Street follows Shadyside’s sinister history through a nightmare 300 years in the making. 

Fear Street is a three movie event that starts with the first movie, 1994.  And 1994 is appropriately named because it feels like a 90s horror film.  The movie has a great sense of style that transports you back to this time.  For those of us that grew up on Scream and other similar horror movies of the time, this will feel so wonderfully familiar.  And a film based on an R.L. Stine book just screams 90s nostalgia.  Stine was my first exposure into written "horror" and it felt great to watch a movie event based on that work.  From the scenes set in a mall, to the 90s fashion and technology, to the amazing soundtrack that brought back memories of that time, this film is made for 90s kids. The soundtrack especially hit home as so many 90s hits were used to set the mood and evoke those classic sounds.  Just hearing some of these songs blasting as a bus pulled out to a high school football game brought back all the memories!

And although the setting was the first thing I noticed, the cast is also quite good.  The group is a band of mostly misfits pulled together for one reason: to survive this strange series of events intact.  And although the film evokes the 90s, Fear Street Part One definitely has some updates to make the movie feel more modern.  From a same sex relationship to a diverse group of characters, the film is set in the classic time period with modern sensibilities.  The film definitely has a similar to feel to another Netflix series, Stranger Things, where a band of young people group together to stop a major threat.  But Fear Street is more gory, with some great practical effects and kills.  It lives in a strange place where it feels too bloody for some young people but set in a time period that most of the target audience can't relate to.  But if you give it a chance, Fear Street is an entertaining horror film with great style and plenty of gore.  The killers are scary, the group of kids are wonderful to root for, and the whole film is a fun ride with an exciting final chapter that sets up the next movie in the series perfectly.  

Fear Street Part One 1994 is an entertaining horror movie, with a 90s feel and soundtrack, great blood and gore, and some modern updates to start this exciting trilogy. 

Watch it.

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Fear Street Part One 1994 is available on Netflix on July 2, 2021.