The survivors of the first instalment of Fear Street search for answers to the curse of Sarah Fier by seeking out one of the survivors of a similar massacre in 1978. Will the story of the murder spree at Camp Darkwing give them answers? 

Our main characters in this sequel are feuding sisters Cindy Berman (Emily Rudd) and Ziggy (Sadie Sink – keeping the theme of having a Stranger Things alumnus in the cast). Cindy is desperate to be associated with Sunnyvale whilst Ziggy is being bullied for being a weirdo Shadyville resident. Add in some horny camp counsellors and you have a perfect homage to the likes of Friday The 13th. 

Rudd and Sink are also both excellent in this and create characters to care about and hold your breath as to who might survive.

Thanks to the heavy lifting of the first film this one is far more rewarding. There is a smooth segue from 1994 to 1978, the world building is more engrossing as we understand more about the curse of Shadyville and there are occasional nods to characters we have already seen as older versions of themselves in the original. 

Whilst the villain is less original in the form of an axe wielding maniac it still manages to be effectively scary and is significantly more brutal. Some of the kills here are wince inducing! 

As with the original the soundtrack is a corker with tracks fitting the time setting. Whilst we get to hear the likes of Neil Diamond, Cat Stevens, Joan Jet and Blue Oyster Cult I particularly enjoyed the fact the film started with Nirvana’s cover of The Man Who Sold The World and ended with David Bowie’s original. I am intrigued as to how they will manage this for the final film given that it is set over 300 years ago.

On this evidence Netflix long format horror trilogy may pay off with a middle film that builds on the groundwork laid out by the first film. Let’s hope the final instalment can continue to build and deliver a great pay off. See you in 1666! 

My reviews of the other films are here:

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

Fear Street Part 3: 1666