Fear Street Part One: 1994

Directed by Leigh Janiak

★★★★

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I’ll get straight to the point, this movie was made specifically for me, and that’s not just because the watermark on my screener had my name on it. Slasher films are by far my favorite sub-genre of horror, but they are also just one of my favorite types of movies in general, and there are hundreds of bad slashers to spare. However, every once in a while we get a solid throw back that holds its own in the periodically sinking sub-genre and Fear Street: 1994 manages to stay a float.

From its opening sequence, 1994 had me hooked. Obviously, being a child of the 90’s (specifically of ‘94) there was some major nostalgia involved, but it excelled on more than just that factor. The beginning takes place in Shadyside Mall and, without ruining anything, is immediately reminiscent of a certain Drew Barrymore “starring” vehicle of the late ‘90’s. Yet, 1994 manages to keep a style all of its own, constantly playing with the love it or hate it tropes of the genre, and continually subverting our expectations.

Director Leigh Janiak, an obvious fan of the slasher, knows her stuff and isn’t afraid of a nice little callback. While these may not work for some viewers, they checked all the right boxes for me. The film is undoubtedly a recreation of the re-popularized ‘90s slasher, down to the dialogue and the tongue-in-cheek manner that the dialogue is delivered and it is to the movies benefit, completely embracing its neck-slashing forefathers.

There are some really gnarly kills in the film, too, easily solidifying the teen lead films surprising R-rating. There is a particular kill towards the film's final act that will leave viewers watching through their fingers. And the kills are pretty emotionally affecting too, which is a testament to the strong group of “teenagers” rounding out its cast. Fortunately, this film still remains current, even considering its place in time. Characters that would have been straight or white (they are in the books), are diverse both racially and sexually, and not in a ham-fisted way.

As a fan of the original series of books, I was a little weary of the films’ adaptation, as any good book nerd is. Despite a terrible mid-credits scene that gives away entirely too much of the forthcoming installments, 1994 is a worthy film adaptation and manages to be completely its own and I for one cannot wait for the next two installments.