On
surface, Leigh Janiak's Fear Street Part One: 1994 is an
excellent introductory slasher film, featuring a deceptively mundane plot that
is laced with a supernatural undercurrent. However, beyond the almost too
cliche' veneer lies a remarkable blend of nostalgia and homage that creates a framework
of heart in which a memorable cast of characters fight for their lives against
the ultimate evil. Impressive visuals, a genuine love story, and an
extremely talented cast combine to deliver an unexpectedly entertaining horror
experience.
The town of Shadyside is cursed, and as a result
every few years a random citizen succumbs and becomes a spree killer. In
1994, the curse is triggered again, forcing a crew of outcasts and misfits to
band together in an attempt to save one of their own. Based on R.L. Stine's
young adult horror novels, the narrative is straightforward: killers are on the
loose, pursuing one of the principals and bloody hijinks ensue as the teen heroes
team up to stop the evil menace. It would be easy to dismiss this as
riding the coattails of Stranger Things, like so many other
nostalgia laden projects. What elevates this is the emotion at the
center. These are real characters that inspire the audience to actually
care for them. Additionally, there is a central queer relationship that
feels real, and not simply big studio product placement.
Kiana Madeira stars as Deena. One of the most interesting aspects of the narrative is not only her natural, absolutely heartwarming chemistry with Olivia Scott Welch's Samantha, but also in how lived in and alive her performance is. While there are some frivolous plot choices (none of the characters appear to actually have parents), the way Deena and Sam's relationship plays out is organic, believable, and absolutely the center of the story. They're supported by Benjamin Flores Jr as Ben, Deena's conspiracy obsessed younger brother, Julia Rehwald, one half of a drug dealing duo, and her partner in crime, the scene stealing Fred Hechinger as Simon. The yield is a quintet of young stars who all show remarkable promise.
Caleb Heymann's cinematography captures the horror with a music video aesthetic, accompanied by endless waves of musical throwbacks. While this gets dangerously close to wearing out its welcome, Janiak's brilliant control of the material allows her to wrap the entire proceedings into a perfectly toned vision of the past. The final touch is in how Janiak spends the bulk of the narrative building up her characters so that when the killing begins, there's an actual emotional impact. These are fun, not entirely stupid teens who decide to fight back because it's the right thing to do and as a result, the deaths are jarring.
Now streaming on Netflix, Fear Street Part One: 1994 is pure horror joy. Leaning heavily on Scream and Halloween as its foundation, Janiak's second feature becomes its own thing while still showing respect to its elders. This is a wonderful film, and the first of what is hopefully an unforgettable, fun trilogy experience.
--Kyle Jonathan