The final installment of the Fear Street trilogy is here! Fear Street Part 3: 1666 was directed by Leigh Janiak, just like the previous two installments, with a screenplay co-written by Phil Graziadei and Kate Trefry. Part 3 takes the surviving teens from Fear Street Part 1: 1994 and transports Kiana Madeira's Deena to 1666, where we learn the origins of the Shadyside curse and the witch trial that started it.
The first two installments of the franchise, Fear Street Part 1: 1994 and Part 2: 1978 were released on Netflix the past two weeks, so we know where the trilogy left off (with the events at Camp Nightwing in 1978). Now Part 3: 1666 is available on Netflix, and critics have started to share their reviews. Let's see what they have to say.
Let’s start with the home team, as always. Our very own Mike Reyes really enjoyed the final chapter of the franchise, rating it 4.5 out of 5 stars. He promises that the kills are just as effective and brutal, even with the increased focus on storytelling and personal drama in this film. While he admits that this thriller has a slower pace, it still ties up the loose ends of the trilogy nicely, and he commended Janiak for her direction. Reyes noted that Janiak stuck the landing with this movie, saying:
Despite conventional knowledge having a bias against trilogies and their endings, Fear Street: Part 3 breaks from that tradition, landing a final blow that ties together the entire series in one, continuous narrative.
Michael Nordine of Variety also enjoyed Fear Street Part 3: 1666, calling it the best film of the trilogy. He commended the horror flick for successfully building on the two previous installments, though he argued that 1666 links more to 1994, with 1978 kind of feeling like a “forgotten middle child.” He called the violence in Part 3 “disturbing” (which is what you want to hear about a horror movie, right?), and applauded the sets, specifically pointing out the “delight” of the finale aesthetic. Overall, Nordine said:
Taken on their own, any one of these films loosely based on R.L. Stine’s novels would be an above-average genre throwback. Together, they amount to one of the more involving horror series in recent memory.
Chris Evangelista from SlashFilm also liked the final installment of the Fear Street franchise. While he had some criticisms, like big twists that were way too predictable, and a confusion about why actors from 1978 and 1994 play other characters in 1666, (Are they supposed to play ancestors of their original characters? The movie never explains), he also praised aspects of the film. For instance, he applauded Madeira’s performance as Sarah Fier (Yes, Madeira also played Deena Johnson in 1994.) Evangelista said:
The Fear Street saga comes to a satisfying close with Fear Street Part 3: 1666, a grand finale that manages to tie the entire series together in a neat little bow.
The positive reviews of Fear Street Part 3 continue with Kristy Puchko’s review from IGN. She thought the decision to use actors from the previous two installments for the last movie was a clever creative choice, and especially enjoyed Madeira’s role as Fier. Puchko commended this final installment for its ability to expose the political commentary at the heart of the trilogy and really dig into the allegory of systemic oppression. She also commended the film for such aspects like its production design, and said:
Leigh Janiak whisks us back to where this horror saga began with a story of witches, demons, and suspicion that stands on its own as an entertaining and scary ride and also brings the series to a thrilling conclusion.
Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter was not as impressed as previous critics. She thought the run time was too long and that the extended view at what really happened to Sarah Fier in 1666 didn’t actually tell us more than we already knew. She also criticized the plot for being too predictable, saying:
This bloated finale (running almost two hours long) perfunctorily ties up the narrative loose ends with little finesse or energy — a shame because the earlier two entries, chock-full of pop culture references and subversive thematic underpinnings, had immense potential.
Well, for the most part, critics seem to enjoy Fear Street Part 3: 1666. You can see for yourself now, as the final installment in the Fear Street franchise is available on Netflix today.
You can also check out what else is releasing this summer with our new movie release guide.
