A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy's Revenge Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1985

After the smash hit of A Nightmare on Elm Street, perhaps it was inevitable that a sequel would be released. Although initially the world was ready and anxious for Freddy's Revenge, this anticipation soon turned to disappointment as they discovered a new director spearheaded the sequel (Jack Sholder) and everyone's favorite dream stalker tried a different tactic to wreak his bloody revenge on Elm Street's children.

Does this entry in the Freddy Krueger saga deserve the scorn it receives by many diehard fans? Let's move on to the Feature Presentation to find out…

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge is the most vilified entry in the long-running series of sequels, but the truth is while I definitely agree it didn't reach the same level of greatness as the original did (none of the sequels did, for that matter), I don't agree it was a bad movie. Nor do I think it was close to the worst of the sequels.

The main cause of the derision this film receives is the different direction the film took from the rest of the series. Whereas Freddy (Robert Englund) stalked the Elm Street teens in their dreams in the original as well as all the future sequels, in Freddy's Revenge he attempts to exact his bloody slaughter by taking over the body of a newcomer in town as he sleeps.

Jesse Walsh (Mark Patton) is the new kid in town, and it just so happens he and his family moved into the same home once owned by the Thompson's. Soon Jesse begins to have terrifying nightmares of an evil man with razor-clawed hands… the same dreams that Nancy Thompson suffered when she lived there before him.

As the dreams become stronger Freddy assures Jesse that he doesn't wish to kill him, but rather take possession of his body. Of course Jesse resists Freddy's intrusion, but when close friends and acquaintances start dying in hideously violent ways he begins to worry that he may be the cause of these deaths. Is it a coincidence or could he be performing these crimes while he is asleep?

Krueger purists often argue that this movie is inconsistent with the original because Krueger has no need to take over a teenage boy's body if he can kill through their dreams. They also dislike how Krueger has the ability to manifest himself in the real world during the latter portions of the movie. And you know what? Both points are valid! But I'm not going to pick apart small holes in a horror movie as long as it succeeds in entertaining me.

The very foundation of this film is a far-fetched fantasy… the whole concept of an entity slaying people via their dreams cannot be rationalized in the real world, but you can bet I'm not going to frown and nitpick that fact instead of openly accepting the premise and film for what it is: a terrifying and entertaining horror ride. So why does Krueger attempt to possess a body rather than do the dirty work himself in the dream world? Who knows… maybe he was bored and wanted to try something new. Who cares why?

I found the difference to be a little refreshing, because it contains the same basic fear of falling asleep and gives it a different dimension. Not only is Jesse terrified of Krueger; he's also terrified of the possibility he could eventually kill those closest to him. Such terror goes beyond the simple sense of self-preservation shown by the victims in the other films. Jesse is as equally terrified, powerless and susceptible to sleep as Krueger's other victims, but he must also live with the fact that he could possibly be responsible for vicious murders, which must be a crushing burden to bear.

The acting in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge doesn't disappoint. Mark Patton does a fine job displaying the torment that Jesse must be feeling. Kim Myers, who plays Lisa Webber (Jesse's girlfriend), was a pleasure to watch as she struggles to understand what Jesse is going through and help him conquer his inner demon. And of course Robert Englund reprises his role as Freddy Krueger and fails to disappoint.

In the end I feel this movie was the last of the truly dark entries in the Krueger saga. Although there are a couple more wisecracks from Freddy in this film than there were in the original, he remains an ominous force. Unfortunately come the third film that begins to turn around and he becomes more of a murdering jokester.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge is intelligent, intense and packed with the graphic and shocking deaths that horror aficionados have come to love and expect. Its continuity can be called into question occasionally if you allow such things to concern you, but if you can accept Freddy's Revenge for what it is I think you might be surprised at just how enjoyable this film really is.

Movie Rating: 8 stars

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