This sequence sets the expectations up front, for good and for ill. Each entry in the trilogy follows the horror subgenre associated with its setting. For 1994<\/em>, that means the Kevin Williamson brand of genre-literate high school horror (Scream<\/em> didn\u2019t start that trend until 1996, but hey, semantics). The other statement of intent, however, is a letdown: from its shared cast and crew to its nostalgia-soaked framework, 1994<\/em> looks and feels like Stranger Things<\/em>, and even more disappointingly, that\u2019s by design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1994<\/em> sets up the connective tissue that will bind the three films. We\u2019re introduced to the embattled neighboring towns of crime-ridden Shadyside and affluent Sunnyvale. While the rest of Shadyside High grieves Heather\u2019s murder, moody Deena (Kiana Madeira) is mourning her breakup with girlfriend Sam (Olivia Scott Welch), who moved to Sunnyvale after her parents\u2019 divorce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Deena\u2019s nerdy brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) believes Heather\u2019s death is connected to a town curse instigated in the 17th century by witch Sarah Fier. Josh\u2019s theory proves to have legs after a vigil for Heather at a Shadyside\/Sunnyvale football game devolves into fisticuffs and a car accident. Sam inadvertently connects with the spirit of Sarah Fier, summoning the souls of Shadyside murderers past. These undead killers pursue Sam, Deena, Josh and their friends Kate (Julia Rehwald) and Simon (Fred Hechinger), as the teens figure out how to stop the curse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n True to the more explicit nature of Stine\u2019s Fear Street <\/em>books (think Goosebumps<\/em> for the Jason Voorhees <\/em>set) 1994<\/em> racks up some gnarly, creative kills that suggest similar nasty fun in the two forthcoming entries. The script, co-written by director Leigh Janiak, also takes welcome cues from Williamson\u2019s self-aware, quippy writing style. Madeira, Welch, Flores, Rehwald and Hechinger have a good dynamic and deliver that dialogue well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, 1994<\/em> feels like the first episode of a TV show, despite being a 105-minute feature. It\u2019s particularly apparent in the pacing, which at times feels like it\u2019s trying to fill space. That thumb-twiddling might have been better used in the service of stronger worldbuilding, something 1994<\/em> could have cribbed from its cinematic inspiration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Though steeped in nostalgia, 1994<\/em> doesn\u2019t look like the movies it\u2019s trying to mimic. It employs the same lighting and color schemes as Stranger Things<\/em>, which feels off from the 90s brightness of Scream<\/em>, The Faculty<\/em> or I Know What You Did Last Summer<\/em>. That look also adds to an uncomfortable sense of slick, focus-grouped packaging, making the whole enterprise feel less like a genre throwback and more like a studio trying to cash in on a successful formula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are enough commendable elements in 1994<\/em> to warrant sticking around for Fear Street Part Two: 1978<\/em> and Fear Street Part Three: 1666<\/em> later this month to see where all this leads. However, it\u2019s hard to shake a twinge of disappointment that the first installment could\u2019ve been more interesting if the filmmakers had taken a few more risks. As it is, 1994<\/em> is a fine, if slightly underwhelming, start. \u201cFear Street Part One: 1994\u201d streams Friday <\/em>on Netflix<\/em><\/a>. The next two parts (which we will also review) stream on the following Fridays.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Fear-Street1-2-scaled-1024x429.jpg\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/crookedc-01.svg\")
<\/p>\n\n\n\nB-<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n