Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) by Stefan G — 07 Nov 2015

I very used to the majority of horror films failing to deliver on thrills, so when this film came along and delivered the jolt of a lifetime, I was very much taken aback, fully realizing that this film was doing what so many other horror flicks failed to do, namely providing convincing horror thrills that keep your eyes firmly on the screen.

Granted, much of it is visceral shock horror, but it's one of the few slasher films that has a brain, with its central premise revolving around the idea of toying with the audience's perception of reality by transgressing the boundaries of what is a dream and what isn't.

Because of the way the concept is executed here in the film, this makes for some totally chilling moments, and also for some convincing drama as the heroine tries in vain to warn the outside world of the horrors of the dream world becoming horribly real.

Of course, many people remember the film for introducing a modern horror icon in the form of Freddy Krueger, and his place in horror is well-earned, thanks not just to his distinguishing appearance, but also because he's a genuinely creepy horror villain, and there seems to be no end to him in the film's events.

However, if there's one criticism I have is that there's not much explanation behind how the character came back from the dead, and even less explanation for the ending. Nonetheless, it continues to stand above most other horror films by virtue of not just its highly original premise, but also because it's still one of the most frightening horror films out there, and one of the few that actually delivers on its promise.