'Fear Street Part 3: 1666' Review: Fear thy neighbor

This post contains spoilers for Fear Street Part 3: 1666.
Read our reviews for Fear Street Part 1: 1994 and Fear Street Part 2: 1978

Sticking the landing on a trilogy isn’t always an easy task. Sticking the landing on a trilogy that releases back-to-back in a three-week period seems even more unlikely. Enter Fear Street Part 3: 1666 and Amelia’s unbridled glee. As an avid reader of the Fear Street books, a devourer of horror, and a strong proclivity for all things witchy, Fear Street Part 3 ticks all of my boxes. Then you’re going to throw in a thoughtful and engaging lesbian romance? Come on! I try not to get too personal in my reviews but if there was ever an “Amelia movie,” this is it.

As telegraphed by the end of Fear Street Part 2, we kick things off in 1666. Deena (Kiana Madeira) finds herself in the shoes of the one and only Sara Fier (played by Elizabeth Scopel when she’s herself). As she makes her way through Union — the township prior to Shadyside and Sunnyvale — she comes across the familiar faces of those we’ve met throughout the saga. So far as the main story goes, Solomon Goode/Nick Goode (Ashley Zukerman) and Hannah/Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) are going to be the most frequent key players, but all of your faves make a return for the final chapter.

Our time in 1666 is spend highlighting the fickleness of man. We all know how easy it was (is) to be branded a witch, but Fear Street Part 3 wants to remind its viewer what happens when a woman dares spurn the advances of an excited suitor. Forbidden love and an unsanctioned party results in whispers of the infamous Sarah Fier, but it’s not until terrible tragedies start to befall Union that the men of the town pounce on the opportunity to label her a witch.

The “twist” in Fear Street Part 3 isn’t as twisty as you’d hope if you’re familiar with the Fear Street stories, but it stings all the same. We all know how Sarah’s story ended, but what we learn in the 1600s is that history is forged by the victor. Still, the witch will have her due.

It’s that notion of revenge that makes Fear Street Part 3 so satisfying. “I don’t fear the devil, I fear my neighbor,” Sarah whispers to a captured Hannah who waits to hang in the morning. Supernatural spectres and biblical hellions have nothing on the torches and pitchforks of god fearing “Christians” — something that remains true centuries later. The gut punch of watching two lovers realize that they’re forbidden, that by standing their ground they’d become key suspects for witchcraft, and the painful reiteration that spurning horny men can result in women’s death regardless of the century all hit hard. Vindication comes along with our return to 1994, though. With the realization that Goode is bad, Deena and the rest of the ’94 crew are able to hatch a plan to right the wrongs of the Goode family.

Along with the extremely satisfying story, we see a lot of fun cinematography across both centuries. The party in 1666 is shot kind of stereotypically, but the camera loves Sarah and Hannah’s love, and it helps deepen an already touching narrative between the two. The extreme juxtaposition between centuries is more fun than it is jarring, offering a stark contrast to the styles while still illustrating that some things just never change. Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, and Ashley Zukerman are all acting their pants off, with Zukerman adding a level of sympathy to the so obviously slimy Goode boys. And yeah, the needle drops rule.

Fear Street Part 3 is the perfect ending to the story Leigh Janiak and company set out to tell. Impactful, satisfying, with just enough potential for more stories to unfold in the universe. We know that successful properties will continue to expand in today’s world of adaptations, and the Fear Street saga has been exciting enough that we can’t wait to see what they do next. Until then, this first trilogy has been everything we wanted and more.