A Tremendously Crafted Horror Film

Rating: 9/10 (23 August 2004)

My Rating: ***1/2 out of ****.
If Nightmare on Elm Street only proves one thing it proves that Wes Craven is one of the best horror directors. I admit I haven't seen all of Craven's films but I have obviously seen Nightmare and I have seen the Scream films. While I think the Scream films are good in their own right (well Scream 3 was a bit of a letdown), Nightmare clearly shows his talent as a horror director.
Good Horror films are a rarity nowadays, Great ones are almost non-existent. Today, we get stuff like the overrated, pretentious 28 Days Later and the amateurish Blair Witch Project. Oh sure there have been good entries like the previously mentioned Scream films, the recent remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the Ring but horror films are usually the most ineffectively made films today. Nightmare on Elm Street is proof that a great horror film can still be made. It belongs in the company of Alien, The Exorcist, Halloween, and The Shining. If I had to be real critical, I think it's a small step below the second, third and a bigger step below the first and last one (since I consider Alien and The Shining to be the best horror films ever made, although Alien also belongs in Sci-Fi) but it clearly belongs in that exceptional group of films.
Nightmare is not a conventional horror film. This is not about a killer going around killing stupid people with an ax, knife, or machete. No, this film is about a killer that gets you in your dreams-or nightmares. Craven, who wrote the script, creates two worlds: one where your awake and a dream world. His script is intelligently constructed so that at times, we don't if one of the characters is awake or dreaming and that makes the film all the more thrilling.
Nightmare also has a unique style. Nightmare is a highly atmospheric film but contains some unusual sequences. When Nancy (the main character of the film) is trying to outrun Freddy (You ought to know who he is by now) her foot sinks into the steps like they are quicksand. There is also a chilling sequence where Nancy is pulled under bath water into a black pool.

The acting, while not extraordinary, is effective. Heather Langenkamp is solid as Nancy. She makes her into a more intelligent person than most protagonists in horror films and she definitely gets us on her side. Johnny Depp, in his first starring role, is also solid. Ronee Blakely is very effective in her somewhat limited role as Nancy's mother.

Robert Englund became famous after his first role as Freddy in Nightmare. Freddy is a pretty gross sight, he burns and bleeds green (the make-up job on englund is excellent). This really isn't much of an acting performance for Englund, but when Freddy speaks you can tell he has a vicious personality. This is no Michael or Jason, who don't say a damn thing. Freddy has more of a personality. He also has a backstory that is revealed enough to make us more afraid of him without spoiling anything.

Nightmare on Elm Street is Wes Craven at the top of his game. He generates a high amount of tension and delivers the thrill required for horror film. It's tough to say whether he'll top this effort but if he doesn't he can be proud of this brilliant horror film. Nightmare may not quite be perfect but its faults are minor and do not harmfully damage the film.