The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

When I was ten years old, the Goosebumps series ruled my life. As soon as I finished one book, I would open another which eventually led to the Fear Street Series, written by R. L. Stine as well. The series was a step-up from Goosebumps in terms of maturity, but also provided a deeper form of storytelling that spanned many generations. Since Goosebumps ended up as a min-series in the 90s inevitably, the Fear Street Series would eventually venture onto our screens. In July 2021, Netflix released Part 1 of a trilogy titled Fear Street 1994.

My inner child squealed with excitement. Horror is my favorite genre in both films and books. Nostalgia can often give us exceedingly high expectations though, and I found myself filled with nostalgia during the opening scene. It wasn't the books or the feelings I had in the nineties reading R. L. Stine. The opening scene was a complete rip-off of the opening to the original Scream. This realization did not hit me immediately, because I sincerely wanted to enjoy the movie and trilogy. But everything from the chase scene to the killer stalking Maya Hawke's character in the same method as Ghostface? I was deeply disappointed.

I believe in homages, but there's a proper way to borrow a creative idea instead of making it appear as if you hit the copy and paste button. Without exposition, explanation, or any context they thrust us into a psycho-killer scene in which the killer seems to be more than human, and they subject us to gratuitous violence. This may not seem like a serious consequence, but by the time that Heather (Maya Hawke) was killed, not only did I not care- but wanted to put Scream on instead. If Netflix had wanted to open with a bang, such as with Scream, they should have cast a different actress in this small but pivotal role. Who? One that holds a presence beyond what we know about her, so when without context her character is murdered? We care, therefore we remain invested in the story.

Following the opening, you're bombarded with images and newspaper clippings for the opening credits. A cheap and easy method in which the audience is supposed to formulate some understanding of the rules of this world. Whether you can put together the puzzle pieces or not, following the introduction they introduce you to two new characters that are somehow supposed to be related.