At last, we have reached the conclusion of Netflix’s experimental horror trilogy, Fear Street. The final film titled Fear Street Part 3: 1666 throws everything back to explain the origins of the cursed town of Shadyside.
The final entry also brings answers to Sarah Fier and much more. And for a movie in the 1600s, readers can still expect those noteworthy needle drops.
Now that the R.L. Stine adaptation has wrapped, let’s unpack whether the final entry lands with success.
Is Fear Street Part 3:1666 a smooth ending to the Netflix horror trilogy? Here is our review of the final film in the series.
Fear Street Part 3: 1666 review
The third film begins exactly where the 2nd one concluded. Deena has reunited Sarah Fier’s hand with her body and has been thrown into a flashback reminding her of when Sarah was alive in the 1600s.
As the extensive flashback begins, we see Deena constantly see herself as the real Sarah throughout the experience–and for some reason, all the actors from the previous entries play different roles in the flashback.
Here we learn that during the Puritan times, Sarah Fier had her own same-sex romance — similar to Deena and Sam n the present.
But after the two of them get passionate together in secret, the town becomes plagued. Fruit begins to rot, animals begin eating their young, and the town priest begins to go mad.
As this happens, the townspeople seek answers for the darkness sweeping the town. Very similar to present-day insanity, the scapegoats are usually the ones religion deems unfit for society.
At this point, it’s quite difficult to touch on plot points without giving away spoilers. What can be said, is that eventually everything circles back in a neat violent bow.
All three films become relevant to the plot and each one contains elements that make viewers realize Shadyside’s big secret was right in front of us all along.
Because of this, the final film truly sticks the landing giving us one of the most fun horror exercises in recent memory.
Where the first film took inspiration from Scream and Stranger Things, the second one was a collision of Meatballs and a slasher movie with Friday the 13th being a common comparison, this film draws influence from such films as The Witch.
What is interesting about this energetic horror trilogy is that it actually has some surprising social commentary riddled throughout. One can find subtle references to the wealthy bleeding and taking life to gain immeasurable power. As the saying goes, one person’s fortune could mean another person’s suffering.
There are also subtle comments on how once success is obtained, it will sometimes echo on forever while the poor and suffering compound in their misery– this is even sometimes seen between neighborhoods. So one can perceive Shadyside as a symbol for an impoverished community.
Even though it’s unclear to this writer if the novels had this intention, the films themselves seem to have an empathetic heart towards those who struggle.
Moreover, the final film has other aspects such as religious bodies looking to blame minorities for societal issues. In today’s culture, the scapegoat can be anyone from immigrants, trans individuals, LGTBQ identifiers, or those seeking welfare.
Here in Fear Street Part 3: 1666 it’s a lesbian couple that the town throws into the fire for all its issues.
This film is a reminder that religion has been scary for many centuries and still can be.
As far as the nostalgic needle drops, as clunky as they were in the first two films, this one handles them a tad more smoothly. Those who have been missing The Offspring in their lives will get an awesome playback of one of their classics.
To bring our coverage to a close though, it’s reasonable to argue these movies are not perfect. The acting has patchy moments, the kills are mostly predictable, and the music– while fun and tugging at our nostalgic hearts– is messily slapped together. All of these things are true.
That said, Fear Street Part 3: 1666 is a solid close to the franchise. And despite its small hiccups, the series knows exactly what it’s trying to be and is overwhelmingly charming in its delivery. The culmination of the whole thing makes the Fear Street trilogy an absolute blast.
Should you stream Fear Street Part 3: 1666 on Netflix?
Fear Street Part 3: 1666 may not be a perfect film but the final entry bookends everything to a fantastic close. The charm and confidence Leigh Janiak brought to the director chair should be rewarded.
Between the nostalgic influences of horror and music, the surprising commentary, and the characters– Fear Street has become one of the best experiments from Netflix.
Here is hoping the streaming platform decides to adapt more novels from R.L. Stine.
Readers who enjoyed these movies be sure and read our reviews for Fear Street Part 1 and Part 2.
Fear Street Part 3: 1666 is now streaming on Netflix.