Return we now to “Fear Street,” where R.L. Stine set up shop to appeal to older kid readers and which Netflix dove into for not one or two, but a three film series four years ago.
The first three films had a steady falling off in originality and wit as they marched through the horrific history of a village called Union (1666) that split into two towns — Sunnyvale and Shadyside — victimized by its bloody legacy, revisited in in 1978 and 1994.
“Fear Street: Prom Night” is set between ’78 and ’94, serving of a slice of 1988 nostalgia amidst the carnage of the most conventional “dead teenager movie” of the lot. It’s a short but stumbling stagger from one uncreative killing after another as competitors to be Shadyside High’s prom queen are hacked up by a masked, raincoated nut with a knife — and axe.
The tale ties in VERY loosely to the second “Fear Street” movie (there are no credited carryover characters or actors), with the focus sitting on the child of a survivor of the 1978 summer camp slaughter of the that film aspiring to overcome her family’s rep to become prom queen.
But Lori Granger (India Fowler) doesn’t stand much of a chance against Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza) and her “wolf pack” of mean girls, who dominate the prom queen field as they run social life and the school with the help of a few compliant bullying jocks.
But aspiring writer Lori is cute enough to catch the eye of Tiffany’s beau (David Iacono, aka Noah Centineo, The Next Generation). And with the help of her sexually ambiguous bestie, the goth/horror fan prankster Megan (Suzanna Son), maybe she can make some waves.
“Being nice and sweet don’t get you anywhere!”
As we stagger towards prom night, other high school “types” among the contestants find themselves cornered and killed. Of course, nobody — including strict Christian school principal Brekenridge (Lili Taylor) — has a clue this is going on until well into the evening, after we’ve heard Billy Idol, Laura Brannigan and Rick Astley’s Greatest Hits.
One missing victim’s boyfriend says “I’ve been with that girl two months, I know her better than ANYone!” That’s director and co-writer Matt Palmer’s film’s lone laugh.
The script does a poor job setting up possible suspects out of the assorted stereotype/archetype characters — the picked-on religious principal’s son, et al.
Child starlett Arianna Greenblatt of TV’s “Stuck in the Middle” plays the “rebel” drug dealer in class. Tiffany’s parents are played by Katherine Waterston (“Michael Clayton.” “Alien: Covenant”) and “American Pie/Election” alumnus Chris Klein.
But no characters in this are developed enough to invest in them or pin them down as suspects. At about the time Blood Red Raincoat Killer whips out a circular saw, which is as inventive as the murders get, the movie invites us to check out.
And no colorless performance, generic character or original-hits/original stars ’80s soundtrack night for the cinema’s three thousandth trip to “prom night” can compel the viewer to check back in.
Rating: R, graphic violence, profanity
Cast: India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Katherine Waterston, Chris Klein and Lili Taylor.
Credits: Directed by Matt Palmer, scripted by Matt Palmer and Donald McLeary, based on the book by R.L. Stine. A Netflix release.
Running time: 1:30
