As a film reviewer, I think it is profoundly important to review a film based on its genre and nothing else. It is unfair to compare a comedy like The Hangover to a serious drama like Revolutionary Road. Sure, each genre has to be judged for certain benchmarks such as quality of acting, writing and directing, but these standards need to be judged within the realm of each genre. That being said, when compared to other horror, slasher films, the new reimagining of A Nightmare on Elm Street is a terrific film. It is a classy, well made remake of the popular, schlocky, 80’s film that is anchored by great effects and solid performances all around.

The new film tinkers with the original plot, adding more depth of character, a bigger back story and in turn this is a better film than the original. I know some film purists just became really angry after reading that sentence, but it is completely true and I’m a fan of the original series. To be fair the original Elm Street, written and directed by Wes Craven was a great horror film in its day, but the years really haven’t been that kind to it. I just rewatched the original and found that the effects are dated; the acting sub-par at best (with the exception of Robert Englund as Freddy) and the plot is a bit of a mess. I actually wondered why I used to love it so much. 

The answer to that question is really simple. It’s not the movies that I loved; it was psycho killer Freddy Krueger who captured my young imagination thanks to Robert Englund’s scary, inventive and humorous portrayal of the demented dream slayer. Englund was the best thing about the series even as Freddy went from creepy knife wielding psycho to a standup comedian that literally slays his audience. The character became so soft by the last film, I’m actually surprised they didn’t create a children’s show ala Pee Wee’s Playhouse. “Welcome to Freddy’s Dream house! Guess the word of the day wrong and I claw you to death!” The remake puts Freddy firmly back in scary son of a bitch mode and I can’t help but applaud that.

The kudos then really go to Jackie Earle Haley, who had a big glove to fill in Englund’s wake. Haley is amazing in this, which will come as no surprise to anyone who saw his riveting performance in Watchmen.  His Freddy is so evil… so malevolent… so freaking twisted, he makes Englund’s Freddy seem tame in comparison. I just felt the collective groan of Nightmare fanboys everywhere after that last sentence. Listen, as stated before, I loved Robert Englund, but Haley is a nasty force of nature here. Freddy is known for his one liners as he dispatches his victims and Englund certainly took those to comedic heights, but Haley makes them funny and super scary at the same time. 

The cast of teenagers being terrorized by madman Freddy is made up of a who’s who of upcoming actors and actresses such as Katie Cassidy, Kyle Gallner, Thomas Dekker and Rooney Mara, who is the stand out here. Mara plays Nancy, a character originally played by Heather Langenkamp, and the difference between the two performances is staggering. It’s like comparing a professional actress to one starring in a high school play version of Elm Street. The other actors are all very good as the hapless victims stalked by Krueger and in fact, this is the best acted slasher film I have ever seen. 

Director Samuel Bayer has crafted a horror film that looks good, has a real story and real characters while also playing serious homage to Craven’s original. A few of the characters are killed off in the same way their counterparts are in the original and we even have a scene with Nancy dozing off in the bathtub as she did in the first film with Freddy’s razor sharp claws emerging out of the water. Bayer also effectively stages quite a few jump out of your seat moments, which to be honest, is the primary reason we go to see horror movies. All in all, Bayer has done a wonderful job with the source material and improved upon it in all aspects. 

I do have a few small grievances with the film. The title is A Nightmare on Elm Street and Elm Street isn’t really tied into the mythology other than the fact that Katie Cassidy’s character lives there.  It should’ve had more prominence in the back story. I also felt that the back story given to Krueger this time around wasn’t quite as evil as it was in the past. Don’t get me wrong… he’s still a gigantic sleazeball and the scum of the Earth, but it’s not quite psychotic enough. You’ll see what I mean.

To sum it up, the updated version of A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the best slasher films ever made, improving upon the original and bringing new life to the franchise. Freddy is reborn and I for one can’t wait to see part two.