Fear Street Part 1: 1994 (Mini-Review)

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 is the first of a movie trilogy based on the Fear Street books by R.L.Stine. This installment focuses on Deena Johnson who has recently broken up with her girlfriend. This breakup was due to the fact that Samantha "Sam" Fraser moved from Shadyside to Sunnyvale. The two towns have a fierce rivalry which bleeds into Deena's relationship. After the memorial for yet another murder in Shadyside, Deena and Sam find themselves attacked by past murderers of the town. It is up to Deena, Sam, and their friends to find a way to survive. Fear Street Part 1: 1994 was released on Netflix in 2021. It was directed by Leigh Janiak. It stars Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, and Benjamin Flores Jr.

I never read any of the Fear Street books by R.L.Stine. In my younger years I was a little elitist so once I read my first Stephen King book I only read one Goosebumps book. So why did I have any interest in watching a movie adaptation of the Fear Street books? My opinions have changed over the years. Plus I'm now a horror hound. So since the Fear Street series is horror, I was drawn to an adaptation of it.

So how was the film from an outsider's perspective?

It is a tame horror movie all around. Which isn't a bad thing as sometimes having a lighter horror movie is a very good thing. Not every movie needs to drench you with blood. Though near the end of the movie there is a gruesome death that...wow...I was not expecting. But besides that one kill, the film doesn't have many deaths that will shock a horror fan.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, I liked that there was a prominent same sex couple with Deena and Sam. It also made me really care that the pair survive and get back together. I am at a point in my life where I can be out in some places while needing to be closeted in others. So while I applaud the strength Deena has to be out of the closet, I can't do the same with myself due to safety reasons. I'm not risking financial problems as I already have enough as is.

There are numerous plot threads that hint at either the sequel or the overall plot of the trilogy. The teenagers find themselves chased by previous killers of Shadyside, which means the main killer for the sequel is introduced. There's also the fact that why the teenagers are being chased is most likely more complicated than stated in the movie. Both Deena and Sam had nosebleeds around the same time which seems to be something more than coincidence. Plus we don't know exactly why the witch cursed Shadyside yet. Maybe the teenagers in the film are connected to her in some way we're not aware of.

One thing I didn't like was that the trailer for the next movie was in the mid-credits of this movie. It was honestly a little jarring as I don't remember seeing that happen ever before. I know it's good to advertise a next installment in the mid or post credits, but you can do so without resorting to a full out trailer.

I would recommend Fear Street Part 1: 1994 to horror fans. If I was more familiar with the books, I'd feel more certain to recommend this movie to fans of the Fear Street books by R.L.Stine.