Fear Street Part Two: 1978

{{Infobox film

| name = Fear Street Part Two: 1978

| image = Fear Street, Part Two - 1978 teaser poster.png

| caption = Release poster

| director = Leigh Janiak

| screenplay = {{plainlist|

Zak Olkewicz{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/fear-street-trilogy-trailer-rl-stine-netflix/|website=Collider|title=First 'Fear Street' Trailer Reveals Netflix's Ambitious Horror Trilogy, Which Will Be Released This Summer|last=Santer|first=Kristen|date=May 19, 2021|access-date=May 19, 2021|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519152004/https://collider.com/fear-street-trilogy-trailer-rl-stine-netflix/|url-status=live}}
Leigh Janiak

}}

| story = {{plainlist|

Zak Olkewicz
Phil Graziadei
Leigh Janiak

}}

| based_on = {{Based on|Fear Street|R. L. Stine}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Caleb Heymann

| editing = Rachel Goodlett Katz

| music = {{plainlist|

}}

| studio = {{plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Netflix

| released = {{Film date|2021|7|8|Los Angeles|2021|7|9|United States}}

| runtime = 110 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = 10 million $

| gross =

}}

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (titled onscreen as Fear Street 1978) is a 2021 American supernatural slasher film directed by Leigh Janiak. It is the second installment in the Fear Street trilogy, with a script co-written by Janiak and Zak Olkewicz from a story by Janiak, Olkewicz and Phil Graziadei, based on R. L. Stine's book series of the same name. Primarily set in the summer of 1978, the film follows a group of teens at Camp Nightwing as they face a deadly killing spree connected to the dark past of Shadyside. It stars Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, McCabe Slye, Ted Sutherland, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., and Olivia Scott Welch.

Produced by Chernin Entertainment, a film adaptation of Fear Street began development at 20th Century Fox in 2015, with Janiak hired in 2017. Filming for the trilogy took place back-to-back from March to September 2019 in Georgia, with the intention of a theatrical release beginning June 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, Chernin Entertainment ended their distribution deal with 20th Century Studios and sold rights to Netflix in August 2020.

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 premiered at the Los Angeles State Historic Park on July 8, 2021, and was released by Netflix on July 9, 2021 simultaneously with the first film Part One: 1994. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and is considered to be the best film of the trilogy. The final installment, Part Three: 1666, was released on July 16.

Plot

In 1994, Deena and Josh Johnson restrain Sam, Deena's girlfriend who is possessed and travel to C. Berman's house for help. Initially reluctant, Berman allows them inside and begins recounting the events of the Camp Nightwing massacre.

On July 19, 1978, Ziggy Berman from Shadyside is accused of stealing by Sheila, a Sunnyvale camper, and her friends. They accuse her of being a witch and in retaliation, hang her from a tree and burn her arm with a lighter before camp counselors Nick Goode and Kurt intervene. Ziggy's older sister, Cindy, and her boyfriend Tommy Slater are cleaning the mess hall when Nurse Lane, the mother of Ruby Lane, attacks Tommy, but he overpowers her and she is later removed from camp by police. The teenagers from Sunnyvale believe she was possessed by Sarah Fier, as was her daughter. While investigating the infirmary, Cindy and Tommy encounter counselors Alice, Cindy's former friend, and her boyfriend Arnie. They find Lane's diary which says that Fier made a deal with the devil by cutting off her hand on Satan's stone, thereby earning eternal life. They also find a map in the diary leading to Fier's house.

At the house, they find empty graves dug up by Nurse Lane and discover the witch's mark below the house. Alice and Cindy find a wall carved with the names of all the Shadyside killers and Tommy's name included. Tommy, now possessed, kills Arnie with an axe, and the girls escape into a cave. At camp, Nick helps Ziggy prank Sheila and lock her in the outhouse. As the two bond and share a kiss, Tommy reaches the camp and murders several Shadyside campers, including counselor Joan. Meanwhile, Cindy and Alice try to escape using the witch's mark in the diary as a map of the cave. They soon come across a pile of beating organs and when Alice touches it, it shows her flashbacks of all the past killers and their victims. After Alice injures her leg, she reconciles with Cindy and the two reach a cave opening beneath the outhouse.

After fighting an angry Sheila and knocking her unconscious, Ziggy and counselor Gary try to rescue Alice and Cindy until Tommy decapitates Gary. Ziggy hides with Nick until he is injured by Tommy and escapes to the mess hall. As the rest of the camp leaves via bus, Cindy finds a route to the mess hall while Alice stays behind. Tommy attacks Ziggy, but Cindy intervenes and kills him. Alice arrives and tells them that she found the witch's hand. She had started bleeding and realized that she was sitting near Satan's stone, where she dug it out.

The trio decides to end the curse by reuniting Sarah's hand with the body. Ziggy suddenly bleeds on the hand and sees a vision of Sarah Fier. This triggers the curse, resurrecting several Shadyside killers. A reanimated Tommy kills Alice before Cindy decapitates him. Ziggy and Cindy run to the tree where Fier was hanged, with the Shadyside killers in pursuit. They dig around the tree, only to find a rock with the words "The witch forever lives" carved. When Cindy realizes the killers are after Ziggy, she drops the hand and sacrifices herself. The two are murdered and the killers disappear. Nick later finds them and saves Ziggy via CPR.

Back in 1994, Deena and Josh realize that C. Berman is Ziggy, whose real name is Christine. They tell her that they found the witch's body and now, with the hand, they can end the curse. Deena and Josh go to Shadyside Mall, which was built after the closure of Camp Nightwing, and dig out the hand from under the same tree. They take it to the place where the body is buried and Deena reunites the body with the hand. Deena's nose bleeds and she finds herself back in 1666, where she is now Sarah Fier.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Sadie Sink as Ziggy Berman
Gillian Jacobs as C. Berman / adult Ziggy
Emily Rudd as Cindy Berman
Ryan Simpkins as Alice
McCabe Slye as Tommy Slater
Ted Sutherland as young Nick Goode
Ashley Zukerman as Sheriff Nick Goode
Jordana Spiro as Nurse Mary Lane
Kiana Madeira as Deena
Benjamin Flores Jr. as Josh
Olivia Scott Welch as Sam
Chiara Aurelia as Sheila
Jordyn DiNatale as Ruby Lane
Drew Scheid as Gary
Sam Brooks as Arnie
Paul Teal as young Officer Kapinski
Jacqi Vené as Joan
Michael Provost as Kurt
Brandon Spink as young Will Goode
Matthew Zuk as Mayor Will Goode
Elizabeth Scopel as Sarah Fier
Julia Rehwald as Kate{{efn|name="Archive footage"|Appeared through archive footage from Fear Street Part One: 1994.}}
Fred Hechinger as Simon{{efn|name="Archive footage"}}

}}

Production

On October 9, 2015, it was announced that a film based on Stine's Fear Street series was being developed by 20th Century Studios (then known as 20th Century Fox before its acquisition by Disney) and Chernin Entertainment.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thewrap.com/goosebumps-author-r-l-stines-fear-street-books-headed-to-big-screen-exclusive/ |title='Goosebumps' Author R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Books Headed to Big Screen (Exclusive) |last=Sneider |first=Jeff |date=October 9, 2015 |website=TheWrap |access-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328042744/https://www.thewrap.com/goosebumps-author-r-l-stines-fear-street-books-headed-to-big-screen-exclusive/ |url-status=live}} Screenwriter Zak Olkewicz was hired to write the script for the second film while Kyle Killen and Silka Lusia were assigned to Part One and Part Three respectively.{{cite magazine|last=McNary|first=Dave|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/r-l-stine-fear-street-three-fox-movie-1202495348/|title=R.L. Stine's Fear Street in Development for Three Fox Movies|date=July 13, 2017|magazine=Variety|access-date=July 11, 2021}}{{cite web|last=Dela Paz|first=Maggie|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1009057-stine-fear-street-adaptation-moving-forward-fox|title=R.L. Stine's Fear Street Adaptations Still Moving Forward at Fox|date=November 16, 2018|website=ComingSoon|access-date=July 11, 2021}} In July 2017, Leigh Janiak was hired to lead the project, directing and rewriting the films.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fear-street-trilogy-based-rl-stine-novels-casts-four-actors-1197484|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Ashley Zukerman, Fred Hechinger, Julia Rehwald, Jeremy Ford Join Fox's 'Fear Street' Trilogy|author=Vlessing, Etan|date=March 27, 2019|access-date=April 27, 2021|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122185327/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fear-street-trilogy-based-rl-stine-novels-casts-four-actors-1197484|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fox-developing-rl-stines-fear-street-as-theatrical-movie-series-released-months-apart-1020909 |title=Fox Developing R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' as Theatrical Movie Series Released Months Apart |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=July 13, 2017 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328031441/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fox-developing-rl-stines-fear-street-as-theatrical-movie-series-released-months-apart-1020909 |url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/r-l-stine-fear-street-three-fox-movie-1202495348/ |title=R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' in Development for Three Fox Movies |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |date=July 13, 2017 |magazine=Variety |access-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328031516/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/r-l-stine-fear-street-three-fox-movie-1202495348/ |url-status=live}} Janiak oversaw a writers room with her writing partner, Phil Graziadei.{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/fox-developing-rl-stines-fear-street-as-theatrical-movie-series-released-months-apart-1020909/|title=Fox Developing R.L. Stine's Fear Street as Theatrical Movie Series Released Months Apart|date=July 13, 2017|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 11, 2021}} In January 2019, Alex Ross Perry was slated to direct the second installment.{{cite web|last=McNary|first=Dave|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/alex-ross-perry-fear-street-2-rl-stine-1203118390/|title=Alex Ross Perry to Direct Fear Street 2 for R.L. Stine Trilogy|date=January 25, 2019|magazine=Variety|access-date=July 11, 2021}}{{cite web|last=Vlessing|first=Etan|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/alex-ross-perry-direct-foxs-fear-street-2-1179303/|title=Alex Ross Perry to Direct Fox's Fear Street 2|date=January 25, 2019|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 11, 2021}} By March of that year, Perry stepped down, and Janiak was confirmed as directing all three films,{{cite web|last=Vlessing|first=Etan|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/fear-street-trilogy-based-rl-stine-novels-casts-four-actors-1197484/|title=Ashley Zukerman, Fred Hechinger, Julia Rehwald, Jeremy Ford Join Fox's Fear Street Trilogy|date=March 27, 2019|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 11, 2021}} a trilogy set in different time periods, and shot back-to-back, with the intention of releasing the films one month apart.

In April 2019, Gillian Jacobs, Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd and McCabe Slye joined the cast.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/gillian-jacobs-joins-rl-stines-fear-street-adaptation-1202499 |title=Gillian Jacobs Joins Fox's Adaptation of R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' (Exclusive) |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=April 16, 2019 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=May 3, 2019 |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422194024/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/gillian-jacobs-joins-rl-stines-fear-street-adaptation-1202499 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |title='Stranger Things' Star Sadie Sink Joins Fox's 'Fear Street' Trilogy |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/stranger-things-sadie-sink-fox-fear-street-trilogy-1202585379/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=April 26, 2019 |date=April 1, 2019 |archive-date=April 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406034409/https://deadline.com/2019/04/stranger-things-sadie-sink-fox-fear-street-trilogy-1202585379/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |title=Fox's 'Fear Street' Adds Emily Rudd & McCabe Slye |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/fox-fear-street-emily-rudd-mccabe-slye-1202601940/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 25, 2019 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430014204/https://deadline.com/2019/04/fox-fear-street-emily-rudd-mccabe-slye-1202601940/ |url-status=live}} In March 2019, filming had begun on the first film in Atlanta and East Point, Georgia.{{cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |title='Fear Street': Benjamin Flores, Jr. Joins Fox and Chernin Entertainment's R.L. Stine Adaptation |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/fear-street-benjamin-flores-jr-fox-and-chernin-entertainment-r-l-stine-movie-1202574503/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=May 3, 2019 |date=March 12, 2019 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327233614/https://deadline.com/2019/03/fear-street-benjamin-flores-jr-fox-and-chernin-entertainment-r-l-stine-movie-1202574503/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/mynews/east-point/east-point-has-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/85-37dd8b15-856d-49af-a388-019a0a2a74ee |title=East Point has nothing to fear but 'Fear' itself |last=Williams |first=Dorjan |date=March 13, 2019 |website=WXIA-TV |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628225213/https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/mynews/east-point/east-point-has-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/85-37dd8b15-856d-49af-a388-019a0a2a74ee |url-status=live}} Production also took place at Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge in August 2019. Despite being the second film of the trilogy, 1978 was the last of the three films to be shot.{{cite magazine |last=Walljasper |first=Matt |title=What's filming in Atlanta now? Coming 2 America, After We Collided, The Underground Railroad, and more |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/whats-filming-in-atlanta-now-coming-2-america-after-we-collided-the-underground-railroad-and-more/ |magazine=Atlanta |access-date=January 11, 2020 |date=August 29, 2019 |archive-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122121105/https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/whats-filming-in-atlanta-now-coming-2-america-after-we-collided-the-underground-railroad-and-more/ |url-status=live}} Filming wrapped in September 2019.{{cite web |last=Ho |first=Rodney |title=Active Georgia TV/film productions drop to 35 vs. 42 in October 2018 |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/active-georgia-film-productions-drop-october-2018/3KRaFF4poYPF3ZEMzNhKPO/ |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=January 11, 2020 |date=October 10, 2019 |archive-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111175547/https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/active-georgia-film-productions-drop-october-2018/3KRaFF4poYPF3ZEMzNhKPO/ |url-status=live}}

Music

Release

The first film of the trilogy was scheduled to be released theatrically in June 2020,{{Cite web |url=https://comicbook.com/horror/2019/01/25/fear-street-r-l-stine-alex-ross-perry/ |title='Fear Street' Movie Based on R.L. Stine Book Snags Director |last=Cavanaugh |first=Patrick |website=ComicBook.com |date=January 25, 2019 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719023416/https://comicbook.com/horror/2019/01/25/fear-street-r-l-stine-alex-ross-perry/ |url-status=live}} but it was pulled from the schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, Chernin Entertainment ended their distribution deal with 20th Century Studios and made a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/chernin-entertainment-netflix-sign-first-look-deal-for-film/|title=Chernin Entertainment, Netflix Sign First-Look Deal for Film|date=8 April 2020|website=TheWrap|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130060311/https://www.thewrap.com/chernin-entertainment-netflix-sign-first-look-deal-for-film/|url-status=live}} By August 2020, Netflix had acquired the distribution rights to the Fear Street trilogy.{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/rl-stine-fear-street-movie-trilogy-netflix-chernin-entertainment-leigh-janiak-director-the-summer-of-fear-2021-1203010276/ |title=Will 2021 Be The Summer Of Fear? Netflix Eyes That Slot After Landing R.L. Stine 'Fear Street' Movie Trilogy From Disney & Chernin; Leigh Janiak Directed The Trio |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=August 11, 2020 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124164152/https://deadline.com/2020/08/rl-stine-fear-street-movie-trilogy-netflix-chernin-entertainment-leigh-janiak-director-the-summer-of-fear-2021-1203010276/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/fear-street-netflix-r-l-stine-disney-1234732140/|title=Netflix Buys R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Trilogy From Disney|first=Dave|last=McNary|author-link=Dave McNary|date=August 11, 2020|magazine=Variety|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127155140/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/fear-street-netflix-r-l-stine-disney-1234732140/|url-status=live}} The film premiered at the Los Angeles State Historic Park on July 8, 2021 before it was released on Netflix on July 9, 2021.{{cite web |title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978 |url=https://streetfoodcinema.com/fear-street-part-two-1978/ |website=Street Food Cinema |access-date=July 15, 2021 |date=June 17, 2021 |archive-date=July 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718111802/https://streetfoodcinema.com/fear-street-part-two-1978/ |url-status=dead}}

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critics consensus states, "A smart and subversive twist on slasher horror, Fear Street Part II: 1978 shows that summer camp has never been scarier thanks to stellar performances from Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, and Ryan Simpkins."{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978 |id=fear_street_part_two_1978|type=movie|access-date={{RT data|access-date}}}}{{cbignore}}{{RT data|edit}} According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 61 out of 100 based on 16 critics, the film received "generally favorable" reviews.{{Cite Metacritic|id=fear-street-part-two-1978 |type=movie|title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978 Reviews |access-date=May 1, 2022}}{{cbignore}}

Natalia Winkelman, in her review of the Fear Street trilogy for The New York Times, described 1978 as being the strongest film in the trilogy, and wrote: "the change in scenery ensures that "Part Two" never feels like a clone of "Part One"."{{Cite news|last=Winkelman|first=Natalia|date=2021-07-16|title='Fear Street' Trilogy Review: Carnage and Close Calls|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/16/movies/fear-street-trilogy-review.html|access-date=2021-07-18|url-access=registration|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718104910/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/16/movies/fear-street-trilogy-review.html|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}} Writing for Empire, Ian Freer gave the film a score of 3 stars out of 5, writing: "It might not work as well as Part One: 1994, but it cements the idea that telling a narrative in feature-length installments ... can be a fruitful mode for ambitious long-form storytelling", but stated: "As the plot splits the teens up, there is little of the engaging interplay between the friends of the first part and, with only one type of maniac on the loose, the kills themselves feel same-y, less imaginative."{{Cite magazine|last=Freer|first=Ian|date=July 7, 2021|title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fear-street-part-two-1978/|access-date=2021-07-18|magazine=Empire}}

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as being "its own exhilarating adventure that showcases a dynamic cast of characters and revels in lots and lots of bloody murder." She concluded: "For me, the best parts of Fear Street Part 2 are the ones in which the teen drama takes center stage — from the illicit romantic pairings to the crazy feuds and pranks. Genre purists will be relieved that none of that comes at the expense of grisly murder scenes; Janiak spares no one, and there's no shortage of inventive deaths."{{Cite magazine|last=Gyarkye|first=Lovia|date=2021-07-07|title=Netflix's 'Fear Street Part 2: 1978': Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/fear-street-part-2-1978-film-1234978185/|access-date=2021-07-18|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}} Kevin Maher of The Times gave the film a score of 3 stars out of 5, writing: "As with the first outing, the director Leigh Janiak proves herself an impeccable stylist, delivering muted 1970s tones, judiciously judged scares and ceaseless tap-a-long tunes".{{Cite news|last=Maher|first=Kevin|author-link=Kevin Maher (writer)|date=July 9, 2021|title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978 review — horror with judiciously judged scares|newspaper=The Times|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/fear-street-part-two-1978-review-horror-with-judiciously-judged-scares-scf55mmkc|access-date=2021-07-20}}

Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film a score of 2 out of 4 stars. He wrote that the "hacking is top-notch", and praised the score by Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts, but concluded that the film is "a frustrating bummer—a summer camp slasher that's afraid of campiness, and one that'd be a better fit for group therapy sessions than sleepovers."{{Cite web|last=Allen|first=Nick|title=Fear Street Part Two: 1978 movie review (2021) {{!}} Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fear-street-part-two-1978-movie-review-2021|access-date=2021-07-08|website=RogerEbert.com}} Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail wrote: "While Part One stands as a fine-enough ode to the slasher renaissance of the mid-1990s ... Part Two proves that the entire Fear Street enterprise could have easily kept its time-hopping ambitions to a two-hour kill fest", adding: "the big and bloody problem with Part Two is that, by making a horror flick set at a 1970s summer camp with a contemporary perspective and budget, director Leigh Janiak has set herself up for failure."{{Cite news|last=Hertz|first=Barry|date=July 8, 2021|title=Review: Netflix's Fear Street Part 2: 1978 should be scuzzy fun, but will leave you feeling clean and bored|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-netflixs-fear-street-part-2-1978-should-be-scuzzy-fun-but-will-leave/|access-date=2021-07-18|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708213254/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-netflixs-fear-street-part-2-1978-should-be-scuzzy-fun-but-will-leave/|archive-date=July 8, 2021|url-status=live}}

The film ranks on Rotten Tomatoes' Best Horror Movies of 2021.{{Cite web |title=Best Horror Movies of 2021, Ranked |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-horror-movies-of-2021-ranked/ |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}