Fun, compelling, and scary flick - Craven style.

Rating: 7/10 (18 August 2001)

**** = A masterpiece to be recorded in the books and never forgotten
***1/2 = A classic in time; simply a must see
*** = A solid, worth-while, very entertaining piece
**1/2 = A good movie, but there are some uneven elements or noticeable flaws
** = May still be considered good in areas, but this work has either serious issues or is restrained by inevitable elements deemed inescapable (e.g., genre)
*1/2 = Mostly a heap of nothing sparked by mildly worthwhile moments
BOMB = Not of a viewable quality

A Nightmare on Elm Street = ***1/2

Rated "R" (for horror violence/gore, some language, and brief sexuality and nudity)

This movie is not only scary, unlike the other Nightmare films, but it also has a fun atmosphere, and characters that you can relate to in a way that makes viewing the film fun. It represents an incredible leap in pounding music and other stylistic qualities, and it has a story line, unlike something similar to "FRIDAY THE 13th," which is plotless.
Heather Langenkamp is a lot of fun to watch, as is Johnny Depp in his first notion picture role. These teenagers make the movie very viewer-friendly, instead of other drab flicks of the time period which plummet you with unpleasantness; "NIGHTMARE" has that rare quality of blending terrifying moments with a remarkably enjoyable movie (I don't mean "SCREAM"-scary, I mean SCARY!).
This is the movie that spawned six sequels and dazzled audiences with grisly effects - despite its low budget. My advice: pick up the tape at the nearest Blockbuster ASAP!