Fearful Way: Prom Queen Streaming on Netflix
It’s a bit of a letdown to bring this up, but Fearful Way: Prom Queen is now available on Netflix as part of the The Way Terrifying Trilogy. Released over a three-week period, this 2021 film directed by Thrasher Frick offers a refreshing take on teenage horror, at least for a couple of reasons. For starters, it really captures the fear factor. And, well, there’s a sweet and romantic lesbian love story woven in. That said, while Prom Queen has some fun creative kills reminiscent of the ’80s, it still doesn’t fully deliver on its potential.
Matt Palmer directed the film and teamed up with Donald McCreeley on the script. This installment stands alone within the horror franchise, and it’s loosely inspired by RL Stine’s The Way Terrifying book series. The cast features Indo Fowler portraying Lori Granger, a high-achieving student at Shadyside. Lori is keen on winning Prom Queen to shake off her reputation as the daughter of a suspected murderer, but she faces fierce competition from Tiffany (played by Fina Strazza), a more dubious character from the community. Lori’s horror-obsessed best friend, Megan (Susanna’s son), can’t quite grasp why Lori is invested in prom, yet supports her out of loyalty. However, things take a dark turn when the masked killer starts targeting prom candidates.
Palmer seems to enjoy the ’80s vibe, incorporating “home video” shots that evoke a nostalgic yet silly tone. It’s definitely over-the-top, especially when the killings ramp up—a nod to the low-budget horror flicks of that era. Sure, there’s gore, but it often feels excessive and unrealistic. I mean, I laughed out loud at one moment when a character lost both hands to a paper guillotine and then tried to open a door with her bloody stumps. It’s amusing, without a doubt, but compared to the original trilogy, it lacks a real sense of danger. How can you feel that there’s a genuine threat lurking when there’s a spontaneous dance-off happening?
The film revolves around three main relationships: Lori’s friendship with Megan, her rivalry with Tiffany, and her romantic involvement with Tiffany’s boyfriend (played by David Iacono). Megan, sporting a trendy prom suit and a cropped hairstyle, seems to have some underlying affection for Lori that never quite comes to light. Maybe in a different version, there could’ve been something romantic there, but in this one, she remains a solid, platonic friend.
What’s particularly intriguing is the dynamic between Lori and Tiffany. Thanks to Strazza’s captivating performance, which recently earned her a Tony nomination for her role in John Proctor is the Villain alongside Sadie Sink, the tension between the two is palpable, even if it’s left somewhat ambiguous.
It’s unfortunate, really. The strange romance that marked the earlier films in The Way Terrifying trilogy set them apart and created a fanbase of women who appreciated these connections in horror. They hosted parties, shared GIFs, and recommended the films to friends. Without that layer, Prom Queen ends up feeling like yet another forgettable teen horror flick, albeit with some entertaining murder scenes. It certainly won’t be stealing the crown from the originals.
