Review: Netflix's 'Fear Street' Trilogy is a Showcase of the Horror Genre

The Fear Street Trilogy is now on Netflix. Reader Beware Spoilers Ahead!

Many horror fans began their spooky journeys with R.L. Stine and his Goosebumps and Fear Street novels. Fans were both, excited and nervous when Netflix announced that they would be bringing the latter to the streaming platform. The three films premiered over three consecutive weeks, allowing fans time to watch each film before the next was released. Now that we’ve made it through to the end of Deena and Sam’s story, let’s dive into the trilogy.

The films were directed by Leigh Janiak and have a massive cast list, including Sadie Sink, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Ashley Zukerman, Olivia Scott Welch, Ryan Simpkins, Emily Rudd, McCabe Slye among many more. When Deena and her friends accidentally discover the bones of an infamous town witch, they soon discover that there is evil that has been living below their town for centuries. They must dig up the past to save their future and the future of their small town, all set against the back drop of a LGBTQ love story.

The brilliance of the century spanning story is that it allows for the multiple killers, characters and genre settings. First, we head back to a simpler time of mixtapes, grunge and book stores with Fear Street: Part One 1994. The film kicks off with a classic slasher opening, one that has nods to all the greats such as Scream‘s opening sequence.

We follow Deena (Madeira) and her brother Josh (Flores) as they live through the fallout after a costume clad member of their town goes on a murder spree at the local mall. This isn’t the first time their town has dealt with tragedy and it’s clear it won’t be the last. As the town holds a candlelight vigil to honor the victims, Deena is preoccupied with a fresh break up with her girlfriend Sam (Welch).

Deena and Sam’s drama comes to a head when a prank gone wrong causes a car crash. Which ends up causing Sam to stumble upon the grave of an accused witch said to be the cause of the curse that haunts their town and its people. Now they are being hunted by all of the horrors of the town and struggle to find answers while trying to stay alive.

Fear Street 1994 beautifully kicks off the trilogy blending the nostalgia with the horror. The grunge angst that was everywhere at the time is in music, the clothes (hello shoulder pads) and even the teens of the time. As a 90s kid myself, the soundtrack is one that actually resembles my own 90s listening.

My favorite thing about each of these films is how they transport you into different parts of the horror genre. 1994 is an ode to the slasher horrors of the 90s. When much of the genre was filled with knife wielding, masked killers hunting teens. Deena, Sam and Josh all figure out a way the survive and stop the curse, well at least for the time being.

Fade in to Fear Street Part Two 1978 as Deena and Josh seek out C. Berman, a survivor of a camp massacre from the past in hopes of finding out more about the curse that still stalks them. Viewers are now transported back to 1978 summer camp, à la Friday the 13th style of horror.

All the familiar camp tropes are here, a bullied camper, the mean girls and oppressive camp staff with tiny shorts. We follow C. Berman during her and her sister’s time at camp which ends with the deadly massacre of a number of campers. We find out more about the witch and just how deep the curse is engrained into the town. Just as Deena and C. Berman think they know how to stop the curse, Deena is transported back in time to the settler beginnings of their town.

Fear Street Part Three 1666 is for the atmospheric horror fan, who love the period costumes, dark gray tones, and that earthy style that is known for the genre. We get death but a more cursed deaths than the slash or chop of a maniac. After a local family man murders the settlement’s children, the villagers, driven by fear and hysteria begin to hunt for a witch, who they assume is the cause of the horrible massacre. Deena watches as the madness unfolds until she discovers the truth of what is actually causing these awful events.

The Fear Street Trilogy succeeds in all aspects of filmmaking, it keeps the proper horror within the proper time, music that is brilliantly placed, brutality of the murders and also with the force in which the victims fight back. No one in Fear Street is a willing participate of their death or falls victim to their own stupidity. They actually make choices that reasonable people would make and allow for moments of levity about their shitty lives in the cursed town. These films will transport you back through your own horror nerd journey. Moreover they are fun, gory and have something for every fan of horror. 4.5/5

You can check out the trailer for the Fear Street Trilogy below and the films are currently streaming only on Netflix. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for more of all things horror, sci-fi and more.