Netflix’s adaptations of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps-for-grownups series Fear Street were ludicrously popular with horror fans even though there wasn’t an ounce of originality or ingenuity in the initial three installments. Prom Queen, the latest iteration, which is also set in Shadyside but otherwise unrelated to the prior trilogy of films, has been completely torn apart online but this is the strongest offering by a long shot, even despite the “you’re probably wondering how I got here” opening narration, which has understandably caused plenty of viewers to switch off immediately. Shorn of the self-consciousness and near-constant anachronistic needle drops of its predecessors, not to mention the convoluted backstory, dodgy CGI, and unconvincing performances, Prom Queen is free to just be a down and dirty, proudly eighties-style slasher complete with thrills, kills, and plenty of bloody spills.
DOP Márk Gyõri’s gorgeously grainy cinematography gives the movie the feel of an old-school slasher, while the Newton Brothers’ synthwave score provides a crucial element of modernity. Where Parts 1, 2, and 3 were incredibly try-hard in their depictions of their chosen time periods, director Matt Palmer, who co-wrote the sharp screenplay with Donald McLeary, confidently situates the action in 1988 with the requisite fashion and pop culture references. Final Girl Lori (India Fowler) might make for a drippy lead, but her queer-coded, horror-obsessed BFF Megan (Red Rocket breakout star Suzanna Son) energizes the proceedings, stealing every scene she’s in and giving us somebody to focus on. Lori is an outcast, whose mother stands accused of killing her father even though she was dismissed as a suspect decades prior. If anything, the weakest element of the story is Lori’s desire to be prom queen in the first place.
There’s no real justification for it, with neither the writing nor Fowler’s quiet, unassuming performance managing to fully convince us that a kid who’s been this mistreated her whole life would choose to put herself front and centre for the sake of a plastic crown, as opposed to just hanging with her one and only friend on the sidelines, making fun of everyone else. Still, the whole premise of the movie is a masked killer picking off the candidates one by one, so it’s a minor complaint. Where the original trilogy sanded down the edges to the extent that it was completely anodyne (the way the kills were mishandled in Part 2, a summer camp set installment that should’ve been a slam dunk, was unforgivable), Prom Queen isn’t afraid to be nasty, which is best exemplified in the character of ruthless queen bee Tiffany (Fina Strazza).
We just don’t get to see characters like this anymore; unrepentant assholes who refuse to learn their lesson even when the people around them start being, quite literally, killed. Prom Queen has more star power than its predecessors too, with Lili Taylor appearing as a super religious vice principal, and American Pie’s Chris Klein and Katherine Waterston devouring the scenery as Tiffany’s equally obnoxious and appearance-obsessed parents. Waterston, in particular, has an absolute ball with the pulpy material, her hair coiffed high to the ceiling and massively puffy sleeves echoing how big, brash, and loud her performance is. Strazza manages to hold her own opposite her too, whether she’s passive aggressively gifting a dress to a friend or reminding Lori just how insignificant she is. As crazy as it may sound, it’s refreshing to see a mean high school movie again, and it makes the inevitably gory murders even more deliciously satisfying.
Palmer showcases some real visual panache, staging each stalk-and-slash sequence so that the victim is backed into a corner with no clear means of escape and, again, taking his time with it. Fear Street Part 1 felt hopelessly rushed, so it’s a welcome change for this franchise. The shadows of the school’s darkened hallways also help to hide the masked killer from view even when he’s strolling around looking for his next target. In keeping with the nasty tone, each kill is vicious, violent, and drawn out. Limbs are lobbed off, heads roll, and each implement is easily accessible in the environment, which helps us to suspend our disbelief. Prom Queen doesn’t waste too much time setting things up either, getting to the big night quickly enough without the pacing feeling off. There’s enough buildup to properly introduce the key players, but it doesn’t feel like Palmer is dragging his feet or rushing to get to the good stuff. Likewise, the big finale pays off everything that’s come before without, again, seeming like too big of a swing or a predictable inevitability. The suspect list is long, the road to unmasking the killer enjoyably winding while his look – a floor-skimming red PVC coat with a big hood – is hugely evocative. If it’s not quite icon level, it’s still a step above the rest.
The music cues, blessedly, make more sense this time around too. Rick Astley’s always welcome “Never Gonna Give You Up,” which was released in 1987, pops up, and “Gloria” by Laura Branigan (1982), forms the basis of an entertainingly terrible dance off between Lori and Tiffany. Prom Queen is also a tight 90 minutes, aka the ideal length for a slasher movie, which provides a sense of alacrity that’s juxtaposed nicely against Parts 1 to 3’s leaden self-indulgence. Not a moment of screentime is wasted, and the focus is on telling a coherent, involving, and scary story rather than either signposting stuff for future installments or trying to tie everything into some ill-advised overarching theme involving time travel and ghosts. The movie is allowed to breathe and just be, which might make it a bit too simple for fans of the original trilogy, but for those of us who thought Fear Street was dead in the water as a potential modern slasher franchise, Prom Queen suggests there’s life in the old girl yet. And no, we don’t mean Sarah Fier.
Catch Fear Street: Prom Queen streaming exclusively on Netflix now.
WICKED RATING: 8/10
Director(s): Matt Palmer
Writer(s): Matt Palmer, Donald McLeary, R.L. Stine (based on the book series)
Stars: India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, Lili Taylor, Chris Klein, Katherine Waterston
Release date: May 23, 2025 (Netflix)
Language: English
Run Time: 90 minutes
