Chris_Pandolfi
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Hurm...Hurm...Whenever I Want To, All I Have To Do is...Drreeaaamm...Dream...Dream....Dream....
-
May 1, 2010
- by woopak_the_thrill
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
+2
...of a world with NO Remakes. Hurm....Hurm...
The original “Nightmare on Elm Street” was a film experienced that broadened the scope of “Slasher” films. Wes Craven managed to bring an imaginative twist to the 80’s slasher fare that “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween” could not match; “Nightmare” brought forth a deformed, burned entity that preys on his victims when they are most vulnerable--while they slumber and dream. The first film was excellent in what it wanted to do and quite frankly it made some folks afraid to fall asleep; it had also spawned several lackluster sequels that made “Freddy Krueger” a loud, audacious, scary and a darkly comical figure of horror cinema. Craven had a hand in promoting the remakes of “The Hills Have Eyes” and even the more recent “Last House on The Left” but for some reason, he distanced himself from this remake. I guess this is a cause for alarm--plus, Michael Bay had a hand in producing this remake.
There is something sinister that goes on in a small town, where teenagers seemed to die for no logical or obvious reasons. There is something that is stalking people in their sleep who appears as a severely burnt man in a striped sweater with a glove with razor-sharp knives. Nancy (Rooney Mara) and her friend Quentin (Kyle Gallner) are in the search for the truth about the man called Freddy Krueger as their parents (Connie Britton and Clancy Brown) try to keep it from them. But that is the least of Nancy and Quentin’s problems as their friends have all been killed in their sleep and now they must stay awake or suffer the same fate…
I know what you are thinking, is this remake really necessary? I have to admit I felt a little cynical when I heard about this remake. But let’s at it this way, the franchise didn’t exactly keep up with the success of the original as it made a fool out of itself until “New Nightmare” that came a little too late. Well, I have to say that this remake is better than the laughable sequels that came after “Freddy’s Revenge” and the other good news is that Freddy Krueger has a great new actor in the person of Jackie Earley Harley (played Rorschach in “Watchmen”). Harley has the personality and the raw creepy appeal that is necessary to bring Krueger back to life. His hoarse menacing voice brings forth a great feeling of dread that can make the teens in the film shudder; He speaks when he needs to and keeps mostly in the shadows that mimics the atmosphere of the original (for a time anyway). The actor is real effective as the antagonist in “Nightmare” and this is indeed a cause to celebrate.
Now the problems with the film becomes visible when newcomer director Samuel Bayer (acclaimed music video director) tries to bring forth the meat of the story. Another music video director with the name of Zack Snyder did alright with the remake of “Dawn of the Dead” so I know the transition from music vids to horror movies are possible. But the problem is, while Snyder stayed faithful to the original, Bayer tries to make an impression by instilling some “emo crap” with his hot looking women being preyed upon by Krueger. The characterization is real weak and therefore I didn’t find myself being invested in Freddy’s rampages. The screenplay is pretty routine, as we also see the dream world that was crafted by Bayer. Yes, he doesn’t shy away from the special effects as we see them injected to generate horror.
I guess what made the original so effective was the fact that it gave Krueger an air of mystery and the plot revolved around this, as he was barely visible in the screenplay until the second half. Ok, you can argue that this is a remake so we can just enforce Krueger’s iconic status so he doesn’t need to hide. Yes, I can buy into this, as long as the film still managed to promote suspense and raw chills. The script by Wesley Strick did make some changes to the Krueger character. Freddy was a serial killer who used his ice cream truck to draw his young victims in the original; this time around, Strick made Freddy a kid-molesting gardener who sleeps in the basement of a pre-school. His steel cultivator also inspires his glove. I guess the film was trying to relate a more current event to the Freddy character. It also tries to bring forth some questions as to Krueger’s guilt as the parents themselves were somewhat portrayed as ‘villains’ while the children were filled with uncertainty.
I guess in doing so, this 2010 version lost a lot of the mysticism that brought forth confusion and hysteria in Elm Street. For a remake to succeed, it must expand on the main character and not to simply routinely follow sequences to make an excuse to generate scares and shots of some blood and gore. The film also telegraphs each scare, even for one who hasn’t seen the original, they may still see the scares a mile away. From a technical standpoint, the film does look good and Haley does make the set designs fairly convincing to exhibit that dream-like atmosphere.
I also had issues with how the “Nancy” character was reduced to an emotional wreck when “Nancy Langenkamp” who was a strong, courageous young woman in 1984’s version who almost behaved like a “hunter”. Rooney Mara is pretty attractive, but she just couldn’t bring out the best out of her character (or her character was so limited that she was held back). The rest of the supporting cast was also lacking in their performances; as they had no personality or emotional strength going behind them. I guess the fatal flaw of the film is that I never cared about what would happen to them. Alright, I know you want to know: Does Freddy make funny one-liners in this remake? He does in the 2nd half that Bayer damages the tone he had established in the first half.
Wes Craven’s creation was a horror movie built on a surreal atmosphere that abodes in dreams; this time around, Haley seems stuck in between a ‘tribute” film and lethargy. This remake loses the little stuff that made the original “Nightmare” a classic; playing the emotions to make us doubt what is real or not. The director did seem a little over his head, but I have to admit, the film tried to become an effective, horror film rebirth and it is a lot better than the sequels that came after the first one. Wes Craven stayed away, I guess I should’ve taken the hint. RENTAL [ 2 ½ Out of 5 Stars]
Hype Level: Moderate. I guess the general movie-going public is used to remakes that expectations are kept low. The production crew that remade "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" wouldn't get expectations way up. But I was hoping for the best.
Hype Level: Moderate. I guess the general movie-going public is used to remakes that expectations are kept low. The production crew that remade "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" wouldn't get expectations way up. But I was hoping for the best.
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More A Nightmare on Elm Street (201... reviews
* out of **** The remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is a mad failure of a horror film; a horror movie trying to seduce us through visuals that aren't even the creation of the director or the writer (or even the visual effects designer), as well as that ever-so generic feeling of horror. Yes, I know that this remake isn't the first, of many, to suck. But since "A Nightmare on Elm Street" was originally a good movie, with all its surrealism and intelligent ideas, I would … more
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A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST. Remakes are a crazy thing because no matter what people will have certain expectations for it, even if they don't mean to. In this day and age remakes are becoming the norm while originality is becoming a thing of the past, kinda. Don't get me wrong I like remakes for the most part because I believe that they help to showcase something that once was off to a new generation. But the end results are mostly negative with … more
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I'll admit that Wes Craven's ANOES was perhaps one of the most influential, if not innovative scripts of the eighties. In light of that, it's almost impossible to believe that any sequels or needless remakes could ever recapture that charm in it's entirety. Nevertheless, I've seen virtually every sequel ever made & even had a razor glove as a kid which I bought from Toy R Us. Naturally, it would only make sense that I'd manage to find a way of seeing the remake in opening … more
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In the town of Springwood, teenagers are suffering from nightmares and they're doing everything possible to keep from falling asleep. They all mention a terrifying looking man pursuing them in their dreams with murderous intentions. After several of them end up dead, Nancy (Rooney Mara) and Quentin (Kyle Gallner) come to believe that this man has the ability to kill them in their dreams. In addition, he also has something to do with their childhood past. Together, they attempt to put a stop … more
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I'm honestly not sure why they bothered to make this movie. It's not that this new take of Wes Craven's classic Nightmare on Elm Street is bad. It's well-made, polished and dark and gleaming, and has some truly memorable scenes. There's a scene in a supermarket, flickering in and out of dreams, that I found particularly effective and well-done. But here's the thing - it's not very engaging, it's not very funny, and … more
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If asked to describe the man of your dreams, what would you say? Would you call him "dreamy" or any other cliche term? Although this particular man has been known by many since the '80s to be associated with dreams, I bet only a few if any would think of him in this context. In fact, Freddy would probably be the last person you'd name, however after this weekend he will be the one man in everyone's dreams. From the opening scene and straight … more
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While there's really no reason to remake Wes Craven's cult original, I wondered what 20 years and a pile of mediocre sequels would breathe into the franchise and, of course, who would play Freddy. Following in the footsteps of Robert Englund is no small feat but Jackie Earle Haley (of Watchmen fame) was a great casting decision, and carries out the sadomasochistic teen-slashing quite convincingly. He does this despite the script so kudos for making something out of nothing. … more
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review by Ianmat.
May 03, 2010
In 1984 Wes Craven introduced us to a little character named Freddy Kruger, a true boogeyman. This film introduced us to a new type of slasher featuring one of the scariest villians ever created, pretty much jump started Johnny Depp's acting career and spawned 8 sequels. This is one of the best horror movies ever made and when I heard that a re-make was being made I was really disappointed as I feared it would suffer the fate of well...all horror remakes and end up being … more
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There's no doubt that if you're looking for a film to give you some jolts, you won't do wrong renting this piece. On the other hand, if you're more selective, there are other adventures that are more worthwhile. I've never actually seen the 1984 classic, which gives me all the advantages and disadvantages that come with seeing only the remake. This dream sequence slasher film is done effectively enough by Jackie Earle Haley in the title role, but the mayhem gets tiresome with … more
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Nightmare on Elm Street reboot was terrible. I didn't care for the cheap scares, the bad acting, the terrible writing and the plain Jane actresses. When the women wear less make-up than the guys, somethings wrong. I wished the made a sequel to the series a la Predators instead of this ill advised remake for the "Twilight" crowd. The use of twenty something teenagers is starting to bother me. The new Freddy was real laughable and not scary at all. … more
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William (woopak_the_thrill)
Please "Like" Film and Movies and Keep the Economy strong....LOL!! My Interests: Movies, Anime, History, Martial … more
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About this movie
Michael Bay (Transformers,Pearl Harbor) produced this remake of Wes Craven's 1985 horror classicA Nightmare on Elm Street, which means updated shocks, computer-driven special effects, and a brand-new Freddy Krueger, this time played by Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley. Unfortunately, it also means a mechanical, largely scare-free carbon of the original film--the same fate suffered by Bay's remakes ofThe Texas Chainsaw MassacreandFriday the 13th. Director Samuel Bayer, best known for helming videos for Nirvana and Green Day, does well by the film's visuals, which hew toward stylized doominess, but the film itself limps from set piece to set piece, with the ones borrowed directly from Craven's original scoring the most impact. What's left are a group of dull teens on the run from Haley's Freddy, who proves unsettling, if not the dynamo that Robert Englund was in the previous franchise entries. Speaking of which, the picture ends on a note that suggests a follow-up is imminent, though some more inspiration is clearly needed if Bay'sNightmareintends to have the longevity of the first series.--Paul Gaita
"
Nightmare on Elm Street is a reboot of the popular Freddy Krueger franchise from the eighties and nineties. Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) will take on the razor glove as the new Freddy. It is scheduled for release on April 30th 2010.
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"
Nightmare on Elm Street is a reboot of the popular Freddy Krueger franchise from the eighties and nineties. Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) will take on the razor glove as the new Freddy. It is scheduled for release on April 30th 2010.
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 American slasher film directed by Samuel Bayer, ...
Cast:
Jackie Earle Haley,
Rooney Mara
Director:
Samuel Bayer
Genre:
Horror
Release Date:
April 10th 2010
MPAA Rating:
R
Screen Writer:
Wes Craven
DVD Release Date:
October 5, 2010
Runtime:
95 minutes
Studio:
Platinum Dunes,
New Line Cinema
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The quality of this movie is a weak 2.5 out of 5, pretty mediocre. Thanks for the read!