Fear Street Part Two: 1978

Director - Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon, Scream: The TV Series)

Starring - Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, Eli), Emily Rudd (Spooky Games!, Electric Dreams), and Ryan Simpkins (The Night Shift, Ladyworld)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Find the truth"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last weekend, the fourth of July to be precise, I was able to finally watch Fear Street Part One: 1994 and fucking loved it.  It was one of the better movies I had seen in recent years and I couldn't fucking wait to see the two follow up films.  After an extremely difficult and shitty week at my day job I was reminded when I made it home that the sequel/prequel Part Two 1978 was available to view on Netflix.  This was a much needed escape from a seriously shitty week.

     The film begins with Deena and Josh as they visit the survivor of the Camp Nightwing massacre.  She is now a recluse and offers tell them about that tragic night in 1978 when her sister was murdered by the axe wielding counselor.

     If you have read any of my reviews you know I'm a huge slasher fan and I absolutely love the slashers from the golden age.  When I saw that the follow up film was titled 1978 I couldn't help but connect it to Carpenter's essential slasher Halloween which was released that same year.  I know that was strictly a coincident but a slasher centered anthology trilogy with one of them sharing the year that the most iconic slasher ever made was pretty cool.  The acting in this one was great.  Much like the first film, the entire cast is dedicated to their roles and go above and beyond with their performances.  The first film may have been more deeper in the lore around the trilogy but this one had memorable characters and that's because of the awesome cast.  The story for this one doesn't really forward the story from the first film but it does dive deeper into a small part of what was only touched upon in the first.  As the title suggested it takes the viewer into the massacre of 78 and how one of the unlucky teens were able to survive before we get a five minute progression of the trilogy.  With that being said, it's one hell of a slasher with some amazing lore behind it.  Slasher fans will seriously enjoy the follow up. Finally, the film makes good on it's bloody promises and delivers some memorable kills that go hand in hand with the first film.  The kills are violent, bloody, and combines both practical and visual effects to deliver the most carnage possible.  If you don't care for the story you will still enjoy the blood!  Overall, 1978 is a worthy follow up to the first film and delivers on everything horror fans love.  The entire lore around this series is phenomenal and I can't wait for 1666!  Hurry and spin these two films before next Friday so you will be ready for the final installment.