Week two of Netflix’s Fear Street event sends us back to Shadyside, this time in the swinging 70’s as Leigh Janiak’s second instalment hones in on the disastrous events of the Camp Nightwing massacre hinted at in the first film. 1978 is a marked improvement over its 90’s set counterpart, upping the gore and violence considerably whilst allowing for more likeable and fully realised characters to take the stage this time around – addressing 1994‘s biggest problem. Having established the overarching story’s key players in that film, Janiak feels comfortable here to build the world out and explore the fascinating history of the rivalry between Shadyside and Sunnyvale, bringing in new killers and mythology that sets the stage for an all-out crazy final film.
Having survived their first encounter with Shadyside’s local witch Sarah Fier, siblings Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) track down C. Berman (Gillian Jacobs), the only person to have ever been possessed and live to tell the tale. From here we’re whisked away to the 70’s wonderland of Camp Nightwing, chock full of all the classic trappings of camp slasher films of the era. At the centre of it all is the rebellious Ziggy (Sadie Sink) and her conservative sister Cindy (Emily Rudd), who don’t exactly fit the bill of loving siblings, clashing every time they come into contact with one another.
After Cindy’s boyfriend Tommy (McCabe Slye) is attacked by the camp nurse – who believes he is the Witch’s next conduit for evil – the pair join stoner pals Alice (Ryan Simpkins) and Arnie (Sam Brooks) in exploring an abandoned house seemingly belonging to Sarah Fier. Just as the group begins to understand the forces at play, Tommy is possessed and begins a murderous rampage through the camp, leaving Ziggy and Cindy to wage a desperate battle for survival and fight for a chance to end the curse once and for all.
Ziggy’s introduction immediately gives us what Deena’s character lacked in 1994: a believable reason for the massive chip on her shoulder. Terrorised at camp by bully Sheila (Chiara Aurelia) and her underlings, Ziggy has built up a strong emotional defence to protect herself from getting hurt, blaming her troubles on the Shadyside curse that ruins lives and cost her her sister to the prissy ways of Sunnyvale. Cindy’s problem is the same. Terrified of ending up like her parents and other no-hopers from Shadyside, she has all but physically retreated from the town, dating the sweet, innocent Tommy because he is the safe choice and vehemently opposing any rule breaking.
It’s a great central dynamic that sets the sisters on diverging paths; where they are each have their own adventures and learn the importance of family, before converging again for a climactic emotional gut-punch of a finale. Sink and Rudd sell their characters’ evolutions in believable ways, with real, reasonable reactions to the events unfolding. This isn’t your average campy slasher film where the councillors run around with their shirts off getting cut down. All the key players make smart, calculated decisions that treat the audience with respect and keep the tension high when they still find themselves on the back-foot despite their smarts.
That’s not to say that all the issues have been fixed this time around, with the same repetition of music used to denote a time period rather than the period having any bearing on the plot. The production design is dead on (sorry) in emulating the familiar layouts and trappings of films like Friday the 13th but once everyone is running for their lives soaked in blood, it doesn’t really add much that they’re wearing bellbottoms instead of skinny jeans. It isn’t surprising given Janiak’s return and is something you adjust to pretty quickly. It’s a rare sight in Hollywood that one person is allowed to see out a consistent creative vision across a series of films and if that means we have to hear The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb” for the umpteenth time in a movie this decade then it is worth the cost. It’s a great jam and if this is the approach she’s taking then I can’t wait to see what bangers she unearths for the sequel set in 1666.
The films may have been shot back-to-back but Janiak certainly seems more assured in her direction this time; utilising more complex shots and upping the gore factor significantly. We get a chance to really get into the meat of the story after spending the last film setting the pieces on the board and Sarah Fier is finally established as the terrifying antagonist she should be, as we come to understand the reach and power of the curse she has unleashed on the two towns. While this comes at the cost of weakening the individual Shadyside killers in terms of their uniqueness, it is worth it to build the anticipation for the final film’s inevitable showdown. There is still a surprising amount of mileage to be had from a maniac running around with an axe almost 40 years after the original Friday and it is some gleefully campy carnage.
Fear Street’s middle instalment is a significant step-up from the tired tropes of 1994, with a fresh coat of paint in its 70’s setting and excellent character work that truly makes you care for Sarah Fier’s victims this time around. Sadie Sink and Emily Rudd are standouts in a cast full of fun performances and even more fun scares, with the gore dialled up to eleven as Janiak unleashes her version of classic killer Jason Voorhees. The world building goes a long way towards making the audience actually care about Sarah Fier as the series’ big bad going forward without ever compromising this film’s set of characters and their struggles. After a sloppy start, the ship has been righted. Let’s see if Janiak and her returning cast can steer it home with next week’s finale: 1666.
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 stars Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, McCabe Slye, Ted Sutherland, Drew Scheid, Chiara Aurelia,
Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr. & Gillian Jacobs – Streaming on Netflix now.