Okay, we're still on the remake train. This time we're going to look at the 2010 remake of the Wes Craven classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. This is a film of much heated debate. The Nightmare series stands out as perhaps the last truly unique and far out horror concept to ever hit the silver screen. This series is much beloved by the fans and horror icon Freddy Krueger is known the world over much like Dracula or Frankenstein's Monster. The success of the series and the popularity of the character is largely due to the labors of one man: Robert Englund.
The biggest worry I and many fans had when we heard there was going to be a remake of Nightmare was, "Who is going to play Freddy?" Robert Englund created Freddy. It's his face, his voice, and his eyes under all that make-up, a real actor and not some stuntman in a mask who changes from film to film (Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Leatherface and so on). After seeing Watchmen and hearing that actor Jackie Earle Hayley was going to play him I felt relieved. If anyone could do Freddy justice it's Jackie. After that I was convinced they could pull the remake off.
Hopefully you all know the story of A Nightmare On Elm Street. If not here's the quick breakdown. A group of high schoolers all are sharing the same dream. They're dreaming of a fiery boiler room and a man horribly burned with knives for fingers. Their parents ignore them, saying the children are just acting out. One of the kids dies in his sleep, taking a knife and slitting his own throat. Then another dies in an equally gruesome way. The list of kids still alive with these nightmares grows thin. It's up to Nancy and Quentin to figure out a way to stop it, to stop the man in their dreams from killing them all!
The concept is beautiful. Everyone has to sleep eventually. While we sleep we are at our most vulnerable. Our inner most secrets and desires come out in our dreams and Freddy uses those to get at us. The character design of Freddy is terrifying too. The sadistic glee with which he takes part in our murders, the one-liners, and the terrifying voice completes a truly nightmarish figure. Freddy is a rockstar among the horror icons, both loved and feared.
This film explores his background. He was a child molester and murderer. The parents of the children chased him down into an abandoned factory and burnt it down around him. Vigilante justice. Freddy returns to kill all their children in their dreams. The movie however poses some interesting questions like, "What if Freddy was innocent?" This twist was new for the series and quite inventive too. It adds a lot of sympathy for the character which never existed in the series before. But then it's revealed in the end that he actually was guilty and that Freddy really is one evil bastard.
People complain about this movie. They complain about the acting and that it brought nothing new to the table. The one spot where things could've changed and become new and interesting (the idea of Freddy being innocent) was wasted. I can see this argument but at the same time by doing that you add a level of sympathy and humanity to Freddy making him less evil. That in my book is a no no. I'll admit that the movie isn't as strong as other remakes but I still enjoy it quite a bit.
Jackie Earle Hayley's performance is dark and less humorous than some of the later Freddy films by Robert Englund. The filmmakers wanted less laughter and more screaming. That works for me. I also enjoy Katie Cassidy, Rooney Mara, and Clancy Brown's performances too. All in all I feel its a pretty solid film. I'll never disavow the original three films nor the final two (New Nightmare and Freddy Vs Jason). Robert Englund will always be the Freddy for me much like Sean Connery will always be the James Bond for others. But if they ever decide to make more films I'd be happy to JEH return to the role.
Overall Ranking: 6 out 10
Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10
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