A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

[jrs]

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) 4

http://i41.tinypic.com/2liwzld.jpg

Let me just start by saying this was the best redux of a franchise I've seen since Batman Begins. Out with the old and in with new as they say. Jackie Earle Haley did a superb job as Freddy Krueger. Sure Robert Englund was great as the title role, but Haley genuinely outshines Englund in every way. The character of Krueger here is more creepy, sick, disgusting and repulsive..the way he should have been in the first place. Bringing new blood into this franchise did wonders, and choosing Jackie as Freddy broke that mold. I agree with Harry at AICN (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44856?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AintItCoolNews-CoolNews+%28Ain%27t+It+Cool+News+-+Cool+News%29) when he said that Haley did to Krueger, what Heath did with the Joker.

The film had nice homages to the original, which I kind of liked. The rest of the cast did a fine job as well. I'm glad they didn't take the usual teeny bopper type route that they usual use with kids in horror films. The climatic scene to the new nightmare film went a totally different direction as well. The final cutscene before the credits though was cool to watch yet expected. Originally when this was announced I had my doubts. But when it was announced who'd play the lead role, images appeared then trailers and clips were shown my expectations grew into pure excitement and impatience. Freddy is back, and he's better (and freakin nastier) than ever !!.

[n3wt]

Im so glad this is getting good reviews :yup: Im so hyped for this, great review Jrs :up:

[Sexy Celebrity]

The new A Nightmare on Elm Street is complete and utter crap.

I am a big fan of the original film - it's one of my favorite movies of all time -- so of course, I'm biased -- however -- to call this movie a great redux in the tradition of Batman Begins is so f***ed up that I'm about to call 911 on jrs.

This movie is nothing but a very ugly, patchworked quilt that a stupid person put together. It's a bad kindergarten assignment -- "Look! It's my Nightmare on Elm Street!"

Everything in this movie has basically been done before, in other movies from the Nightmare on Elm Street series. The way they kill Freddy -- including the weapon AND what the killer of Freddy even says - is pretty much exactly the same way he died in Freddy vs. Jason. The obvious references bleed all the way through. A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010) would be a hemophiliac if it was a person.

The fact that Jackie Earle Haley took over the role of Freddy Krueger really doesn't mean anything -- I do think that Robert Englund would have saved this film, however, the whole movie is such a mess that Englund's departure isn't even noticeable.

But to me, the film was nothing but a big funeral for Freddy Krueger and A Nightmare On Elm Street. This is the real Freddy's Dead (the 1991 movie where Freddy, played by Robert Englund, dies, apparently, for good).

I went to see it out of curiosity and because I love this series -- I warn others that wanna go for the same reasons that it's really not worth the effort in going to see it right away. It's horrible as a remake and as a sequel, however you wanna see it.

But my point isn't to steer you away from the film -- my point is to tell you the filmmakers royally screwed up, in my opinion.

[jrs]

to call this movie a great redux in the tradition of Batman Begins....


Nobody said that. I said "the best redux of a franchise I've seen since Batman Begins".

[TheUsualSuspect]

I'm with SC on this one, check out my review here. (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=617335)

[Sexy Celebrity]

Great review by TheUsualSuspect. He was a lot nicer than I was regarding the movie.

Honestly, I see what he's saying by declaring the film better than most remakes out there. I, personally, have not seen all of the remakes (such as Prom Night) and I can find good spots within the new Nightmare movie, things that are enjoyable. However, overall, it's pathetic. It doesn't have much fun and the writing really is godawful. You don't give a damn about the new people who are filling in for characters like Tina and Rod (now named Kris and Jesse).

When compared to the original, I feel that it's deeply sad how phoney and dead-ended the remake is. The remake feels more like one of the sequels instead of the very first film from 1984 -- a bad sequel - a very, very bad sequel.

People cheered and applauded at my theatre when the movie was over. I actually felt deep shame -- I was hoping I wouldn't run into someone I knew. I was that embarrassed about being there. Usually, when I leave a Freddy film - this is the sixth one I've seen in a movie theatre - I feel proud to be there. I love these movies. I will stay until the credits are over.

That was not the case this time. Not at all. I was ready to get out of there once the screen turned black. I feel like an era has ended.

[TheUsualSuspect]

I think the 80's was the perfect era for the original film. It just felt right to me, this one feels off. It's too 'updated' for my liking.

I agree about the characters, totally useless. So many iconic moments from the original are thrown in for 'fans', but other than the reverse Depp scene, I found them to be pretty pathetic.

[Pyro Tramp]

Three reviews and i'm pretty sure that I know which 2 i'll agree with.

i.e. those from people with real opinions

[Sexy Celebrity]

I agree about the characters, totally useless. So many iconic moments from the original are thrown in for 'fans', but other than the reverse Depp scene, I found them to be pretty pathetic.

Horrendously pathetic. Deathly pale in comparison to how things were handled in the original.

People in my theatre seemed to freak out over Kris' death, which was a remake of Tina's death in the original, where she's slashed and dragged around the walls by Freddy. In the new film, she moves around the whole room quickly, as if on some kind of amusement park ride, then falls down and dies suddenly. In the original, Tina gets dragged slowly, suffers horrendously, cries and cries out for help (missing in the remake) and then FINALLY falls with a big splash of blood.

My favorite thing in the whole remake...

was the laptop that went into sleep mode when Quentin fell asleep in the book store. Ha ha. I laughed. That was the best part. Night, night, computer.

[jrs]

i.e. those from people with real opinions

As opposed to what??? I wouldn't call my opinion fabricated. :rolleyes:

[Pyro Tramp]

Not this old cookie. To re-iterate an observation i frequently make, you love near enough every film that gets a wide release. To the point where i can only fathom you're a plant to big up certain films that get negativity almost everywhere. And don't reply to this because i won't.

edit: Ok, i'm willing to hold back on this one not being awful after seeing those links you posted of other reviews but the principle remains.

[meatwadsprite]

Personally I don't have hope for a critically bashed remake of a critically acclaimed piece of garbage.

[jrs]

To re-iterate an observation i frequently make, you love near enough every film that gets a wide release.

:rotfl: Not really. Try re-iteraing your so called observation.

[Pyro Tramp]

I think that would be re-re-iterating.

[BadaBing]

I'm gonna have to side with jrs on this one. I thought it was a pretty good remake.

[The Taxi Driver]

I really wanted to like it and in some sense I did I just felt like the whole film was pointless. Much like the second half of Rob Zombie's Halloween I just felt like I had seen this whole movie before. It was filled with re-done scenes from the original just without any of the buildup. They killed the first few characters way to quickly as if they just did it because it was in the original and not because it helped moved this new story along. Also I keep reading how this isn't gonna be the Freddy we are used to but more dark and serious yet I heard more puns in this new version than I did in the original. Overall it wasn't terrible but it fell short because it tried to differentiate itself from the original but at the same time tried to copy the original in almost every way. I give it between a C+/B-

[Pyro Tramp]

Awful remake. Did not get on with Jackie, especially when he even delivered identical lines from Watchmen in an identical manner. Showed too much of him too soon. Jackie strained the voice too hard to deliver a sinister or mocking tone and most lines fell very flat for me. I did like how they made him more of a sexual deviant towards the end but sloppy contradictory writing undermined a lot. It wasn't hard to improve on the final twist so can't give much props to that. The film dragged, there wasn't sufficient drive or characters to give a toss about and when plot did develop it was so sloppy and rushed almost missed it- like the kids thinking he was innocent- huh?

For all the technology that could have improved on some of the admittedly ropey effects from the original, it didn't. The wallpaper scene was worse in CGI, for example. Freddy's appearance became routine and unimaginative by the end, he didn't really make much use of the dreamscape to intimidate.

Just below average remake. 1_5

[The Prestige]

Awful remake. Did not get on with Jackie, especially when he even delivered identical lines from Watchmen in an identical manner. Showed too much of him too soon. Jackie strained the voice too hard to deliver a sinister or mocking tone and most lines fell very flat for me. I did like how they made him more of a sexual deviant towards the end but sloppy contradictory writing undermined a lot. It wasn't hard to improve on the final twist so can't give much props to that. The film dragged, there wasn't sufficient drive or characters to give a toss about and when plot did develop it was so sloppy and rushed almost missed it- like the kids thinking he was innocent- huh?

For all the technology that could have improved on some of the admittedly ropey effects from the original, it didn't. The wallpaper scene was worse in CGI, for example. Freddy's appearance became routine and unimaginative by the end, he didn't really make much use of the dreamscape to intimidate.

Just below average remake. 1_5



Where did you see it??? Special previews?

[Pyro Tramp]

Yeah, i managed to blag a card for E4's Student Slacker Club back in September which gives you free tickets and free beer for a special screening every other month so at Picture House cinemas.

[The Prestige]

Ah right nice one. No longer a student, so i guess I wouldnt be eligible for this too?

[Pyro Tramp]

Dunno mate, i blagged it with my 2 year old student card....

[terapattrik]

It is a more than average movie. I earned huge money in BOX OFFICE in first week comparing to other recent movies ($32,902,299). Keep it up .

[Pyro Tramp]

Box office is no indication of quality. Just impressionable masses

[honeykid]

Amen to that.

[The Taxi Driver]

box office is only how popular the film is initially, part of that box office number is my 10 dollars I paid to see it, doesn't mean I'm a fan of the film but i contributed to its numbers

[LuDiNaToR]

i hated this movie i only seen the old one last week and what they have done to it with this movie is awful.
freddy was really bad hated his voice and his look and the way they went in to a story about him the cast was bad aswel out of 10 id give 3.

[The Prestige]

Saw it. Yes, I know I was warned but I HAD to see it just because i've never seen an Elm Street picture in the cinema. Definitely a weak and tedious remake, not that it was a big surprise. The characterisation is non existant to say the least. Hell, besides maybe Nancy, you don't get to know any of the characters. The original Nightmare On Elm Street didn't have the most complex of characters, but at least you knew what each stood for.

Tina's boyfriend in the original was clearly an alpha male. A bit of an aggressive jerk who liked sex and a hint of a sensitive side. In this this one I had no idea what type of guy he was. Was he a sensitive soul? A prankster, an alpha male what?

The biggest frustration for me, I think, was the lack surrealism, probably my favourite aspect about the Nightmare films. Given the potential to experiment and come up with something creative in this area, probably the only area the remake had a chance of surpassing the original, the sequences are rather dull and unimaginative. Oh, we are in the dream world, heres a corridor that leads to a nursery.

And, you know, I really like JEL, but you guys were right, he was definitely channelling Rorschach in his portrayal, which just doesn't feel fresh given Watchmen only came out a year ago. He does have his moments though, and under a more credible and skillful director, I feel his Freddy could have definitely been even more frightening than Bob Englund's. One thing I liked about Haley's interpretation over Englund's was the sense of bitterness and resentment towards his victims. There definitely are moments, particularly with Kyle Reese's ordeal where he is effective. But overall it's a case of a cliched deep voice going 'ha ha ha' most of the time.



I felt the film's ending was probably the best part, particularly the parting shot, though it's let down by some atrocious CGI.

Weak ass remake.

** out of *****

[Black Rawkus]

I don't like the remake. Hollywood should have banned the remake stuff and **** is getting out of hands and running out of idea.

[Jammo]

Wasn't a great movie at all. Although I did like Jackie Earle Haley's performance however as Freddy, i thought he kind of put his own spin on the role. You could not have expected him to mimic the performance of the master, Robert Englund. I thought the acting was quite second rate, and overall it wasn't really THAT scary.

[Googlyelmo]

freddie was always cool and he always will be..expect for in the case of this film

[Rhoten]

I have so many problems with this movie but what bugged me most was when they changed the face of Freddy, it's like doing a remake of Ghostbuster and instead of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man walking down the city they decide to let a big box of Betty Crocker Cake Mix roll down the city.

[LuDiNaToR]

I have so many problems with this movie but what bugged me most was when they changed the face of Freddy, it's like doing a remake of Ghostbuster and instead of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man walking down the city they decide to let a big box of Betty Crocker Cake Mix roll down the city.

haha i remember that

http://members.arstechnica.com/x/7zark7/stay-puft-marshmallow-man.jpg

[NatCapileri]

I love the original for sure. But always love to directors and producers take an existing film and apply modern technology to it. Not gonna lie, I am biased but so what I'm old school. Cheers!