A Nightmare on Elm Street

Contemporary remakes of horror films of yesteryears has certainly become the in vogue trend in Hollywood. In recent years audiences quite a fair share of horror remakes including renderings of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Amityville Horror,” “The Hitcher,” “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” and “My Bloody Valentine.” Even though remakes by all accounts never live up to their predecessors I must say they are in themselves very entertaining and films that quite eye-catching by the measure of their vision and approach. Now in traditional fashion comes another remake, this time of Wes Cravens original creeper “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Having grown up watching and appreciating the horror genre I can’t say I was always a fan of the original series as I always thought the storyline of antagonist Freddy Kruger was somewhat limited but, I must say with this remake the filmmakers have crafted a wonder of a horror flick that by great degree far surpasses the original.

In “A Nightmare on Elm Street” a group of suburban teenagers find themselves being stalked, through their dreams, by a knife gloved man by the name of Freddy Kruger (Jackie Earle Haley). Being killed off one by one in their dreams, resulting in their death in reality, the group of teens soon realize that they collectively hold ties to Freddy Kruger, ties that have been hidden from them their entire lives.

Directed by Samuel Bayer, a music video veteran, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is a stylish scare fest rich with great frights and a standout performance by Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley as the looming Freddy Kruger. Dissimilar to the other horror film remakes this rendering is peculiarly unusual in that it advances on the original by giving audiences a greater back-story to its villain, something that seemed completely absent from the original. With a great deal of credit for this attribute belonging to screenwriters Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer, the film becomes much more a story about the ill-fated evil of the human soul and great reaches one will go to seek retribution, of course showcasing it in a manner that is ill plausible, i.e. hunting persons in their dreams.

This take of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” goes to such great lengths to brining something fresh to the series and one that introduces Freddy Kruger to a whole new generation. I must say with the pitch perfect casting choice of Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Kruger, who was also outstanding in the respected part, my only true grudge toward the film was its closing. Like any other horror film the films conclusion holds in open for a possible sequel ultimately showing that the main villain continues to live on. Personally this application does take place in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” but personally it wasn’t needed. The film would’ve worked so much better had it employed a conclusion that was uncomplicated and open ended.

For what it’s worth this ending goes on to further show that Freddy Kruger will continue to haunt the dreams of the films protagonists in the shape of a immeasurable nightmare that can’t be stopped. That is of course if you’re lucky enough to wake up!

Review by Chanel Mack