Popcorn2K

Character: Cooper’s character is very straightforward, making his actions and motives highly predictable. Josh Hartnett’s delivery helps at times, but Cooper’s execution as a killer still feels forgettable. I will admit that his attempt at managing a double life is admirable, but it falls short when it comes to his father persona. His excuses are terrible, yet his daughter somehow believes him every single time despite constantly suspecting that something is wrong. Lady Raven’s character solely exists as a showcase for Shyamalan’s singer daughter. Every dialogue exchange and action involving her feels forced and irritating, making her one of the most annoying characters to sit through. The head of police also lacks significance, mostly appearing to bark orders without contributing much beyond reminding the audience that Cooper is still being hunted. Plot: The plot had potential. The idea of the concert being a sophisticated trap was genuinely interesting, but the execution completely ruined the severity of the situation. Much of the movie feels unintentionally comedic because of the awkward exchanges between the father and daughter. There are far too many moments where Cooper escapes situations he realistically should not have been able to escape from, all without raising any real suspicion. Once the movie moves beyond the concert setting, it completely falls apart. The pacing drags, the tension disappears, and it starts feeling like a weak excuse to stretch the runtime. By the end, the movie becomes so ridiculous that trying to rationalize the events feels pointless. Script/Performance: I’ll keep this simple. Josh Hartnett’s performance as Cooper is the only noteworthy part of the movie. Everything else ranges from weak to laughable. Lady Raven’s dialogue is especially painful to listen to. Her performance feels monotone, her lines are awkward, and the character itself feels unnecessary. Visuals/Score: At the very least, the concert sequences were enjoyable. Despite all my issues with Lady Raven as a character, her songs were actually decent and fit the atmosphere well. Ironically, the movie often feels more like a showcase for her music career than an actual horror thriller. Visually, the film is mostly standard, though a few shots are genuinely well done and occasionally help distract from the poor acting. Overall: This movie works better as short clips from the concert scenes on TikTok than as a full-length film. That section is honestly the only thing the movie really has going for it. At most, this should have been a much shorter film focused entirely on Cooper, either exploring his backstory or leaning further into his killer persona. I probably would have rated it much higher if it had committed to that instead.

Character: The main cast has the same stereotypical setup of people in a group. Regardless, it feels as if every character is hollow and provides no significant impact toward the story. Characters' deaths feel unimpactful, shallow, and often confusing as to how or why they happened in the first place. The forced relationships and dynamics between "good" and "evil" are pushed into the viewer's face every few minutes as if the film is trying to differentiate itself from how insufferable the plot is. Plot: The plot is everything a horror film should and shouldn't be, all combined into a **** show. Yes, there were attempts at creating suspenseful moments, and the kills are gory and bloody. However, the story never attempts to build on itself; rather, it decides to add whatever it needs just to keep the movie going. Convenient plot points happen too often, and the pacing between different acts is all over the place. If the remaining two films in the trilogy are not taken into consideration, the ending is one of the most horribly written and executed scenes that completely wipes all the progress made throughout the film. Script/Performance: The script was made as if the viewer were too stupid to follow what was happening on screen. The film kept revisiting "important" plot points that viewers may have missed or weren't paying attention to. And honestly, I don't blame them. The performances were utterly lacking, and the actor for the main character was highly unlikable. Every line of dialogue felt as if nothing was going through their heads, with no emotional delivery fitting for a horror situation. Visuals/Score: Visually, the film is quite average. Although the kills are well made, they aren't "scary" in any sense. The score was the only thing contributing to the 90's factor of the film. Without it, the film's immersion and nostalgia completely fall apart and fail to live up to its own name. Overall: Fear Street Part One: 1994 is a movie just to be a movie. The film cannot become any more bland or basic than it already is. This film fundamentally tries to be your typical 90's nostalgia slasher film while attempting to appeal to the new generation.