Netflix and their 2025 offering of the simplistic Fear Street: Prom Queen is sheer dreck. A sophomoric addition to the Fear Street franchise. *One that I lost interest in after the second one.* This section is set in 1988. The gratuitous “star” of this segment is the brilliant Lili Taylor.
The Story
Ripping a page out of the script, or book, of Carrie Prom Queen is all about: The prom. There is also a class full of mean girls. Although there is no “plug it up” scene here. The gang of teen witches pick on outsider Lori and her best mate Megan.
Against all odds Lori wins.
Yawn.
The Main Cast
India Fowler is Lori Granger.
Suzanna Son is Megan Rogers.
Fina Strazza is Tiffany Falconer.
Katherine Waterston is Nancy Falconer.
Chris Klein is Dan Falconer.
Fear Street: Prom Queen BTS.
Matt Palmer co-writes and directs this one. Donald McLeary shares writing credit with Palmer and R.L. Stine. DP Márk Gyõri and editor Christopher Donaldson work well together in this botch up of a horror film.
Nothing really works here
Prom Queen suffers from a plot that wanders all over the place and makes no real sense. At one point there are two masked killers, a’la Scream. The mean girls all turn on each other as much as they victimize Megan and Lori. Mother Falconer is almost maniacal in her support of daughter Tiffany. But… Is she the other killer? At one point prom queen “wanna be” Tiffany does get out the short knife for Lori.
In terms of height, though, she is nowhere near the same size as the other killer.
*A side note on FX here. The classroom scene with the overly large butcher knife does not really work. The tiny wrist size “fake” bit is too small to really work. In reality, this gag would have left Megan bleeding profusely. Just another one of those things that do not work.*
A moment for the actors
Fowler, who has a Dakota Johnson look going on, does well. Son, who plays Megan, rises above the material as much as she can. Strazza and Waterston work as the familial a**hats who love all things prom. Lili Taylor has little to do. Everyone else thrashes about with roles that are two dimensional at best.
The Verdict
Fear Street: Prom Queen is a shaky 2.5 stars out of 5. Given the choice of doing your nails, or watching I Love Lucy reruns, stick with Lucy and the file. I actually feel sorry for Lili Taylor here. This mess is streaming on Netflix right now. I Love Lucy is streaming on Paramount +.
the trailer
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