--- title: "Fear Street: 1994: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/fear-street-1994/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/fear-street-1994" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 17 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Fear Street: 1994 (2021): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 17 reviews: 9 positive, 7 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics find Fear Street: 1994 an entertaining, bloody return to familiar slasher territory, with enough affection for its teenagers to make the violence matter. Praise centres on the appealing young ensemble, the handling of the attacks and the nods to 1990s horror. Several reviews welcome the central queer romance and the emphasis on teamwork, finding fresh possibilities in conventions the film otherwise embraces. The reservations concern pacing, thin characterisation and how much work this opening chapter does for the trilogy rather than itself. The spread is fairly wide: even sympathetic reviews note sluggish stretches, while others question whether the nostalgia offers enough danger or personality. Critics also differ over the romance’s depth and the effectiveness of the opening sequence. Variety supplies the clearest negative verdict, finding the story generic and frustrating despite recognising the distinctive ensemble; most reviews find more to enjoy in the familiar machinery. ## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. Lee finds the film a marvelously entertaining throwback slasher and says its ambitious gamble appears to have paid off. He particularly praises the sincere handling of the teen characters and the strong young ensemble cast. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jun/30/fear-street-part-1-1994-review-netflix-trilogy) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 July 2021. Willmore finds the first installment a nasty, effective slasher that avoids being overly burdened by metaphor. She praises its atmospheric filmmaking, especially the neon-lit opening sequence and its restrained evocation of the 1990s. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/fear-street-movie-review-netflixs-r-l-stine-trilogy.html) ## Empire — Ian Freer Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 July 2021. Freer finds it lively, affectionate horror that delivers on its promise. He singles out the likable teen cast and the film’s fresh spin on familiar slasher conventions. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fear-street-part-1-1994/) ## Radio Times — Josh Winning Rating 4/5. Winning calls the film a smart, gory reinvention of the slasher genre and an ambitious trilogy opener. He singles out its nostalgic horror sensibility and bloody approach. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-o6ed9w/fear-street-1994/) ## Total Film — Jack Shepherd Rating 4/5. 1 July 2021. The critic finds it a fun, popcorn-friendly throwback that should delight viewers seeking ’90s nostalgia. They especially praise the central romance for adding heart and LGBTQ+ representation to the horror. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/fear-street-part-1-1994-review-netflix/) ## Los Angeles Times — Michael Ordoña Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. Ordoña finds the film uneven but ultimately rewarding as the first installment of a larger story. He criticizes its lifeless opening, clunky dialogue and jump scares, while praising its appealing cast and the more intriguing story that emerges. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-06-30/review-fear-street-part-1-1994-rl-stine) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Lovia Gyarkye Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. Gyarkye finds the film fun and engaging, despite a slow setup and uneven attempts at subversion. She praises its young cast, suspenseful music and ’90s nostalgia, while noting that the central relationship and some characterizations need more depth. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/netflixs-fear-street-part-1-1994-film-1234976132/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its text is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any praise or complaint cannot be determined from the available page. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fear-street-part-one-1994-movie-review-2021) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 16 July 2021. The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no detail about what the critic praised or criticized. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/16/movies/fear-street-lesbian-romance.html) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating C+. 30 June 2021. Ehrlich finds the film an entertaining but overstuffed setup whose scares and relationships suffer as it lays groundwork for the trilogy. He praises Kiana Madeira’s vulnerable, confident performance as Deena. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/fear-street-part-1-1994-review-netflix-1234647686/) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating C+. 30 June 2021. Dowd finds the film a polished but sanitized nostalgia trip that lacks the danger and personality of its slasher influences. He praises Leigh Janiak’s slick handling of the attacks, while faulting the generic killers and overly wholesome teens. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/netflix-s-first-fear-street-movie-wants-you-scream-like-1847203319) ## Little White Lies — Josh Slater-Williams Rating 3/5. 3 July 2021. The critic finds this a lacklustre, overlong opening chapter that feels more like a preamble than a satisfying film on its own. The opening set-piece is thrilling, but the long gaps between kills drain the tension. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/fear-street-1994) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. Debruge finds the film a generic, frustrating horror story that strains to be original, though its ambitions may pay off in later installments. He singles out its contemporary, queer and nonwhite teen ensemble as a distinctive take on familiar slasher conventions. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/fear-street-part-1-1994-review-1235004232/) ## Den of Geek — Kirsten Howard Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 July 2021. The critic finds the film succeeds at subverting familiar horror expectations while still embracing its influences. They particularly praise its focus on teamwork and mutual respect as a fresh approach to modern horror. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/fear-street-part-1-1994-tricks-scream/) ## Paste — Jim Vorel Rating 8.0/10. 2 July 2021. Vorel finds the film a bloody, ambitious, and highly entertaining start to the trilogy. He especially praises its sharp social commentary and skillful horror references. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/horror-movies/fear-street-1994-review-netflix-cast-leigh-janiak) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 7.5 out of 10. 30 June 2021. The critic finds the film a bloody, entertaining tribute to ’90s horror, though its final stretch and open-ended conclusion disappoint. He especially praises how the likable teen characters make their gruesome fates matter. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/582034/fear-street-part-1-1994-review/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. Sandwell finds the film bloody good fun, despite some frustrations with its pacing and character development. He praises its gory slasher kills and affectionate nods to ’90s horror. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36863813/fear-street-1994-review-netflix/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/fear-street-1994.md