Studio: Netflix
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writer: Zak Olkewicz, Leigh Janiak
Producer: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, David Ready
Stars: Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, McCabe Slye, Ted Sutherland, Jordana Spiro, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Ashley Zukerman, Olivia Scott Welch
Review Score:
Summary:
Sarah Fier’s curse continues haunting Shadyside during a killing spree at a summer camp in 1978.
Review:
At the conclusion of my previous review, I predicted “Fear Street Part One: 1994” (review here) would be open to reevaluation based on how “Fear Street Part Two: 1978” and “Fear Street Part Three: 1666” might reshape the overarching mystery with new revelations. Maybe “1994’s” unexplained inclusions would turn into strategically layered surprises that could only bear fruit in reflective hindsight. Or maybe such seeds wouldn’t sprout many payoffs at all, instead shriveling in the sun as a whole lot of nothing. Now that “1978” is here, I’m afraid it appears as though the latter scenario could be more likely than the former.
As a specific example, I’m thinking of mall janitor Martin from “1994.” You might remember him from a few glorified cameos throughout that movie, although his appearance culminates in a meatier scene where Deena’s brother Josh passes him a paper clip to help escape handcuffs after being unjustly detained by police. He seemed like a strange side character to focus on since he wasn’t directly integral to the A plot. And yet, actor Darrell Britt-Gibson received seventh billing in the title cards right behind the sheriff (Ashley Zukerman), a bona fide major player, and before Maya Hawke, a notable name. Unless “1994” merely wanted some hazy background commentary about racial bias in law enforcement, why pay prioritized attention to a man who doesn’t seem to matter? (I cheated and looked at IMDb. Apparently Martin pops up again in “1666,” so maybe his setup will lead to something significant after all?)
In that previous review, I also said “1994” worked well as a standalone movie, and should be taken on its own merits before pigeonholing it as part of a preplanned trilogy. Neither of those notions holds the same weight with “1978.” “Fear Street: 1978” plays pretty plainly as a standalone thriller. It also seems unlikely that anyone would randomly watch this middle installment without having seen “Fear Street: 1994” first, so it makes more sense than it did with “1994” to consider what “1978” contributes as one piece in a larger project.
And what it contributes isn’t much more than “meh.” If “1978” wasn’t part of the “Fear Street” event, and simply seen as a separate entity, it would barely be remembered as a so-so summer camp slasher dominantly distinguished by “having one of those ‘Stranger Things’ kids in it.”
New scenes set in 1994 bookend the feature-length flashback to 1978. Still desperate to save their friend from Sarah Fier’s curse, Deena and Josh rush Sam to the oddly-named “C. Berman” played by Gillian Jacobs. “C.” soon begins recounting the horrific massacre that took the life of her sister at Camp Nightwing 16 years earlier.
Among other campers and counselors introduced on our time travel trip to the seventies, we meet bickering Berman sisters Cindy and Ziggy. Ordinarily, I’d mark what comes next as a spoiler, except you’d have to be clinically brain dead to not immediately detect the “surprise” on your own. Clearly, the single “C” in “C. Berman” is too conspicuous for her to be Cindy. Just as clearly, Ziggy can only be a nickname unless you’re a bald comic strip character, so one can easily assume that Ziggy (Sadie Sink), not Cindy, is actually Gillian Jacobs as a teenager. Curiously, “Fear Street: 1978” treats this failed misdirect like a jaw-dropping revelation when the back bookend confirms what the audience sniffed out in the prologue. Not only does this limp “twist” not fool anyone in the slightest, it’s additionally disappointing to realize “1978” regards it as a major moment.
Sarah Fier’s curse causes as much trouble in 1978 as it does during pretty much every other decade in Shadyside, Ohio. At Camp Nightwing, someone ends up possessed and another killing spree gets underway. I suppose I should clarify, it gets underway after 45 minutes, which is how long it takes before the first body drops, a nearly interminable amount of time in a subgenre where murders, and lots of them, should be the menu’s featured entrée.
Instead of action, we’re treated to more buildup of Sarah Fier’s backstory as counselors and campers argue, antagonize, and repeatedly spar with one another. Not kidding, I believe every single person in “Fear Street: 1978” yells at someone, fights with someone, or else gets picked on themselves. Cindy and Ziggy can’t stand each other. Cindy also has a beef with her estranged gal pal Alice. Sheila and her buddies bully Ziggy. Nick, who grows up to be the sheriff, has to stop his brother, who grows up to be mayor, from participating in that bullying. Even the budding romance between Nick and Ziggy takes a beating from Ziggy’s ongoing negativity.
Likability was a sticking point for “Fear Street: 1994” and it becomes an even pricklier thorn in “Fear Street: 1978’s” side. It’s Scriptwriting 101 to give characters conflicts to work through, yet at the same time, these kids rarely tack on any endearing behavior because they’re too busy moping, complaining, and physically or psychologically assaulting someone. “Fear Street: 1978” has an angry attitude thanks to how everyone acts, and that’s a steep step down from “Fear Street: 1994’s” slick sense of retro horror fun.
Don’t expect any deaths as memorable as “1994’s” bread slicer butchering either. Most of “1978’s” murders occur offscreen since a majority of them involve underage campers. It’s another instance of “Fear Street: 1978” operating in direct violation of its DNA. A slasher film afraid to showcase slaughter wages an unwinnable war against its own destiny.
“Fear Street Part 2: 1978” mostly manages to squeeze out a reaction of, “It’s fine, whatever.” Optimistically, some hope remains that “Fear Street: 1666” will have tricks up its sleeve that can tie loose ends together with a satisfying “aha!” Pessimistically, major progress hasn’t been made in the fiction’s foundation aside from the basics of the witch’s curse connecting all three time periods together.
Will we ever find out what, if anything, is going on with mall janitor Martin? The nosebleeds? The flies? Better yet, will we still be invested enough to care? “Fear Street: 1994” piqued curiosity in how the trilogy would pan out. “Fear Street: 1978” mutes much of that anticipation by being a comparatively bland ax murderer movie that’s not nearly as energetically colorful as its predecessor.
Review Score: 55
At least the movie only runs 70 minutes, though I suppose that extra 10 technically disqualifies it from being a literal amateur hour.