Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) by Luciusmcgibbon — 29 May 2013
It's funny; of the main aspects that determined my experience with this remake, I can't if some are pros or cons... which leaves me with mixed feelings once the credits roll.
First and foremost: the new Freddy... good or bad? Which one trumps the other: my positive reaction to Haley's capable, if novel handling of the horror icon, or my belief that Freddy minus Robert Englund is an almost fatal downgrade no matter how unavoidable?
Do I feel like this was a necessary addition to the list of post-classic horror flicks being remade for the new generation, or do I feel like the series suffered enough forced modernization with "vs Jason"?
Do I feel like the "scares" betrayed lazy script-writing, or do I concede that it's all been done and simply appreciate the nigh-impeccable execution?
All told, no matter what the verdict, it will be middle of the scale. It's no shining piece of cinema, nor is it a fly-covered Rob-Zombian turd... I just couldn't tell you which side of "perfectly average" this movie falls on. If you expect it to stand alongside the original, maybe you'd best not bother with the remake lest you be disappointed by the deviations from the source material. On the other hand, if you can see past the limitations inherent in remaking a pillar of late-century horror for these aesthetically jaded, cinematically desensitized times, you might just find some value.
Seriously though... bravo Haley, but there's just no getting around the decidedly Englund-less quality of this movie.
This review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) was written by Luciusmcgibbon on 29 May 2013.
A Nightmare on Elm Street has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
