"Fear Street: 1978" a solidly fun, emotionally resonant Part Two indebted to the camp slashers

 

Fear Street: 1978 (2021)

It feels like we were just with the survivors of “Fear Street: 1994,” the first installment of a trilogy based on R.L. Stine’s literary series, a week ago (because we were). Beginning with a helpful “Previously on…” ahead of the Netflix tudum, “Fear Street: 1978” picks up immediately where the mystery of Shadyside left off before heading back 16 years before. If writer-director Leigh Janiak was indebted to the pinnacle of teen-centric late-‘90s slasher horror for “1994,” “1978” still plays in the shag-and-get-killed slasher pool, though dedicates itself more to “Friday the 13th,” “The Burning,” and “Sleepaway Camp” (even if, technically, those were in the ‘80s). While it’s hard to match the giddiness of Part One and supply enough connective tissue to justify a middle chapter, “Fear Street: 1978” still rips as a solidly fun, unapologetically stabby, and unexpectedly emotionally resonant camp slasher that bridges the trilogy’s introduction and climax. 


After carnage and tragedy have rocked the cursed town of Shadyside, only Deena (Kiana Madeira), her brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.), and Deena’s resuscitated girlfriend Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) have survived. As these Shadysiders put it together that a woman named Sarah Fier was tried and hanged for witchcraft back in 1666 and thereafter possessed people to take revenge on the town, they discover one of the curse’s survivors, C. Berman (Gillian Jacobs), might be the key. When Sam receives a late call back from Berman, it turns out Sam is now possessed by Sarah Fier, and the kids need help. 


A tragedy has made C. Berman paranoid and ritualistic, and most of the film is recounted by her, turning back time to the fateful summer of 1978 at Camp Nightwing that turned into Camp Blood. Her nickname was Ziggy (played by an assured Sadie Sink), and she was a feisty camper who was accused of following in the footsteps of Sarah Fier by Sunnyvale bullies. Her older sister, Cindy (Emily Rudd), was a counselor and more of a goody-two-shoes who was saving up to finally get out of Shadyside. It wasn’t long before Cindy’s boyfriend, Tommy Slater (McCabe Slye), became another pawn to the curse, turning into the axe-wielding Nightwing Slasher. From Berman’s tale, we already know that only one sister will emerge unscathed from that summer. 


The cloud of doom that hovers over these targeted Shadysiders—counselors and campers—is inescapable throughout “Fear Street: 1978.” Even if we already know the broad strokes of the outcome, how it goes down is a different story. Director Leigh Janiak and co-writer Zak Olkewicz do make sure to continue with characters making new discoveries about Sarah Fier, bring even more weight to the Shadyside/Sunnyvale rivalry, and fill in more backstory, including that of the switchblade-slicing, oldies-singing Ruby Lane, whose mother (Jordana Spiro) works as a nurse at the camp. But just as Deena and Sam’s relationship was the core of “1994,” Sadie Sink (Netflix’s “Stranger Things”) and Emily Rudd, as Ziggy and Cindy, are the heart of this particular story as siblings who don’t always get along. Ziggy is young with a tough front but more accepting of where she comes from unlike Cindy, who tries to hide behind a preppy polo shirt and a cheery, rule-following attitude. Rudd particularly impresses, evolving from priss to a strong “final girl,” only subverted tragically (not unlike 2015’s wonderful “The Final Girls”). 


Ryan Simpkins (2017's "The House") is a clear standout as punk-rock counselor Alice, Cindy’s former best friend, bringing enormous fight and layers to her. She may seem like a carefree badass, but underneath there is a lot of pain, and Simpkins and Emily Rudd efficiently convey an old friendship. Ted Sutherland, as young Nick Goode who would go on to become the Shadyside sheriff, is also quite good, offering a sweet side in scenes shared with Sadie Sink. Once again, Janiak loves to make sure no character is safe, not even a sweetly dorky camper named Jeremy that we only get to know in one other scene before he gets axed to death. This time, the kills are still merciless, but aside from two out of the high body count, most of them don’t quite hurt upon impact as much as those in “1994.”


As Janiak continues the “Fear Street” trilogy, she does her due diligence again with ‘70s-era production design and keeps pulling excellent character work out of her cast of talented up-and-comers (and Gillian Jacobs who convinces as Ziggy’s adult counterpart). The needle drops are less incessant this time around—including a ‘70s playlist that includes The Runaways, Cat Stevens, and Neil Diamond, just to name a few—but Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” is featured prominently, and you can hear familiar notes of Camp Crystal Lake over Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts’ score. The third act gets outstretched a bit, but the entire campground does get utilized, leading to a creepy and surprisingly emotionally felt end by Sarah Fier’s hanging tree. As we move backward in time, “Fear Street: 1978” still moves forward, uncovering the truth that is coming. One may not exist without the other, but so far, these movies know how to excel in both their gnarly kill scenes and perceptive character moments. Be sure to tune in next week for “Fear Street: 1666.”


Grade: B


Netflix is releasing “Fear Street: 1978” (109 min.) to stream on July 9, 2021.

Comments