Fear Street Part 1: 1994
RATING
Introduction
Being a 90s kid I remember the times when there was a new slasher horror in town. There was a sense of excitement about the genre that produced some of the most amazing films like the ‘Scream’ series or ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ series. Over the years though, the genre seems to have faded with the films that are out following the same old template. So when netflix decided to announce a trilogy, I definitely was curious as to how different this would be. ‘Fear Street’ series will have three movies, with each movie releasing just a week apart. And the fun has begun this weekend, with its Part One 1994 out. Is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Fear Street Part One : 1994 follows the story of mysterious killings in a small town in The US. The roots of which date back to 1666 following a horrific incident. The story is your routine slasher flick but the element of the past is what makes it novel. The screenplay is watertight and to the point. The opening sequence will definitely grab your attention as you anticipate a lot of gory action ‘masked’ as a horror. Post that, things slow down a bit with a little buildup to the story and setting up of key characters. From about 35 minutes into the film, the screenplay gathers pace again! Another refreshing part of the screenplay was the projection of the LGBTQ community. The main protagonists were Lesbians and the way they were showcased was perfect, it didn’t seem forced or a caricature! The final leave expectedly sets it up for part 2 which is out next week. The downside was that the characters lacked a little depth but you don’t equate that in a horror flick. The screenplay is entertaining and very watchable.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are alright nothing much to shout about. The BGM is stupendous and really keeps you hooked to the drama. A special mention of the gory action scenes which are well conceptualised and well shot. Director Leigh Janiak tries to play around with the tried and tested genre and she is successful in most parts. The direction is pretty impressive.
Performances
The performances are pretty good. A few of them standout. Julia Rehwald as Kate looks pretty and is very impressive. Benjamin Flores Jr. As Josh makes his presence felt. Olivia Scott Welch as Samantha is outstanding and really does a fine job with her role. Kiana Madeira as Deena is the pick of the actors for me. She has the best written role and she does full justice to it. Hoping to watch more of her in times to come.
Conclusion
Fear Street Part One : 1994 is A Classic Slasher Horror With A Twist. Available on Netflix.