Fear Street Part 1: 1994 Review

 

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 is a teen horror film based on the R.L. Stine book series Fear Street, and the first installment of the Fear Street Trilogy. The movie is produced by Chernin Entertainment and distributed by Netflix. Fear Street Part 1: 1994 is written by Leigh Janiak, Phil Graziadei, and Kyle Killen and directed by Leigh Janiak.

The story is it's 1994 in the town of Shadyside, Ohio, and it seems another murder was committed by some psychopath. Sadly this is normal for the citizen of Shadyside, this like this have been happening for years and years, but one group of teens seem to have discovered something. Maybe it's the cause of all the town's problems or maybe Shadyside is truly a place for murders.

Initial Reaction

What really grabbed my attention was it's based on something from R.L. Stine. I really dug Goosebumps and I even remember watching both The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It and The Haunting Hour: The Series. So of course I was going to give this a watch.

Cons

I've got nothing to say. Let's move on.

Middle Ground

The only mix bag I had was the 90's setting. I didn't mind the fashion or the slang that was being used, however they were overdoing it with the songs. I didn't mind hearing them, but there is a good portion of the beginning where I was starting to feel like I was just listening to someone else's mix tape. Thankfully the filmmakers pushed away from that as we kept moving forward.

Pros

One thing I liked about the movie was how intense it was. This is probably the most violent thing I've ever seen come out of R.L. Stine. But what also made it intense was nobody was safe. Any character could die, so if any of you pick a favorite while watching, I recommend you don't get too attached. What I also enjoyed from Fear Street Part 1 was the slasher vibe I got. Which I can imagine that's going to make a lot of other people want to watch this, because sure, it's good to have those horror movies that really make you think, but ever once in awhile ya just need a good old fashioned slasher flick. What I also liked about the film was the ending. At first I thought it was going to be your typical happy ending, but nope! Throws a curve ball at ya, not only that but it also got me curious about Part Two: 1978. The last thing I'll give Fear Street Part 1: 1994 was the mythology behind it. Sadly I can't say much because it spoils the movie, all I will say it did make me curious and want to dive deeper into it, and really make me watch out for things in the next two films.

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 is a great starting off point for the trilogy. It's intense, has a good slasher vibe, a good cliffhanger ending, and a mysterious mythology. And while I did like the 90's aesthetic, I wished they had toned it down with some of the songs.

My final rating is Good.

Gotta say, I'm really excited for Fear Street Part 2, but for now, that's going to do it for me. Due come back on Thursday, Jul 8th for my review of The Boss Baby: Family Business. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day, and give Fear Street Part 1: 1994 a watch.