Netflix Ultra Violent Horror Based On Beloved Children’s Novels Takes Gore To Another Level

What is Fear Street Part One: 1994 really about, though? Despite the name, this movie and its two sequels (more on that soon) aren’t based on any specific Fear Street book from Stein. Rather, it takes inspiration from several characters and monsters from those vintage books while still telling an original story.

Speaking of which, the story of Fear Street Part One: 1994 deeply involves Shadyside, a town that seems to have all the bad luck, whereas the neighboring city, Sunnyside, is the perfect place to live.

Much of the drama of this period piece kicks off thanks to some brutal murders at the Shadyside Mall. Everyone is hoping things can go back to normal (at least, normal for Shadyside) because the murderer has been killed by the local sheriff, but it begins looking like this and so many other things may be connected to a not-so-dead witch that placed a curse on the entire town.

Now, with a name like Fear Street Part One: 1994, you’ve probably figured out that this movie is part of a larger series. While it’s great fun to watch all three movies in a row, I wanted to highlight that this first film tells a very complete story unto itself. Sure, it lays the groundwork for some of the later films and plotlines, but that lore doesn’t disrupt the storytelling or keep this film from having an organic ending (though I’d be impressed if you could watch the ending and not want to immediately binge the next two films).

Interestingly, Fear Street Part One: 1994 is the kind of movie where its target demographic (nostalgic horror fiends) is likelier to recognize the supporting characters rather than the main cast. For example, Community icon Gillian Jacobs plays a character with a very minor part (the survivor of an earlier massacre). Additionally, Stranger Things fan-favorite actor Maya Hawke plays a Shadyside mall employee who meets a grisly fate early on. 

With that being said, the core cast does an excellent job of bringing Fear Street Part One: 1994 to life. Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch (perhaps best known for her role in Panic), and Benjamin Christopher Flores Jr. (best known for his musical career and for starring in Game Shakers) are particularly impressive. Julia Rehwald and Fred Hechinger (who really killed it on The White Lotus) round out an excellent young cast that I hope to see in many more future horror films and series.

When Fear Street Part One: 1994 was released on Netflix, it generally wowed audiences and critics alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a critical rating of 84 percent. In general, critics were impressed by how well the movie channeled the spooky vibes of R.L. Stein while appealing to anyone who grew up watching old-school slashers.

That latter quality is what appealed to me, actually: I didn’t really grow up reading Stein’s work in my formative years, but I recently consumed quite a bit of it and even got to have lunch with the prolific author. Because of that, I didn’t have any particular nostalgia for the original Fear Street novels and could only evaluate this movie on its merits as a modern slasher flick.

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Fortunately, it succeeds spectacularly in that regard: the cast is great, and the gore is gushing, and while the sequel takes more direct inspiration from Jason Voorhees, this movie will appeal to anyone who loves Friday the 13th.

Will Fear Street Part One: 1994 appeal to you, or will you want to send this one back to the mall along with all your gaudy clothing from Gadzooks? You won’t know until you stream it on Netflix. But my readers should beware…with this film, you’re definitely in for a scare.