Fear Street Part Two: 1978

The second film in the Fear Street trilogy, 1978 might seem to have the thankless task of filling time before setting up the conclusion in 1666, where all questions are answered and conflicts resolved. Or, it might also be the most compelling of the three, opting for an Empire Strikes Back approach by offering a darker and more complex scenario. It’s a little bit of both: a sequel that underscores how the trilogy has three distinct features but also forms a complete saga with an overarching narrative, segmented according to the primary time period in which each chapter unfolds. In the middle part, director Leigh Janiak shows her versatility and genre love with a summer camp slaughterfest reminiscent of the Friday the 13th or Sleepaway Camp series, albeit with a late-1970s aesthetic steeped in browns and faded yellow hues. Armed with the same relentless pacing and penchant for gnarly deaths as its predecessor, 1978 is particularly bloody and brutal, but fortunately, it’s driven by compelling characters and actors, resulting in another hugely entertaining piece of throwback slasher horror, albeit more rooted in the overarching mythology this time.

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