1. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) - 10/10
The concept alone is completely unsettling, exploiting both the vulnerability of people while asleep and the venture into the unknown that dreaming can be. The film also birthed Freddy Krueger, who before becoming a cultural icon, was an abhorrent monster that represented the ugly sides of the world teenagers didn't understand.
The movie was made on a budget of only $1.8 million, which would be doubled in later entries. You can almost see it. There's a mild touch of grittiness that's typical of lower-level, independent horror movies, but it's done so well that it's a cut above that usual crop.
A clever script, a great cast and immense and observable passion reflected in the final product made "A Nightmare On Elm Street" one of the all time great horror classics and one of my favourite movies of all time.
2. A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) - 9/10
As we all know, it's rare for a sequel to ever get it right, but "Dream Warriors" is a special exception to the rule. It adds on to the mythology of the original film while adding a few previously unseen spices to the franchise that make for a film that's both fresh and exciting, but also respective of the original's status.
What makes this sequel the best for me is the colourful range of characters put in front of us. The return of Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson is the most notable. The personality traits of these new characters compliment the fantasy elements that made the movie far more adventurous, as well as offer more creative opportunities for how these empowered teens would fall prey to Freddy Krueger.
I attribute this sequel's excellence to the rare input by Wes Craven, but also the increased budgetary power allowing more extravagant sets and effects that could bring the world of dreams to life on the screen.
In a way, this is a definitive entry of "A Nightmare On Elm Street". The overall execution provided a template that all installments would follow from this point, but would never hit with such greatness.
3. New Nightmare (1994) - 8.5/10
You can look at "New Nightmare" as an addition to the original series, or as an experimental effort that exists outside of the Elm Street franchise. For me, it's a worthy conclusion for how it relates the impact Freddy has had on us, and also for how it indicates the renewable nature of slasher movies.
Focusing on fictionalized versions of the cast and crew of the original movies (namely Heather Langenkamp, Wes Craven, Robert Englund and John Saxon), "New Nightmare" turns the idea that a horror franchise evolves into a entity beyond the control of film studios and seeps into our own reality.
It's a much darker depiction of Freddy that can either be embraced or rejected. Personally, I'm with the former. I love it for its metafilm nature, it's subtle building of tension and the way it looks at the operations of the horror movie business as a whole. I urge all viewers to go into "New Nightmare" with an open mind and be aware of how deliberately isolated it is from the rest of the franchise. To me, it's Wes Craven ending his initial creation on a high note.
4. A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) - 8/10
The first of the sequels has a very bizarre place in the history of this franchise. It hardly builds into the larger narrative of the series, its characters are never seen later on and I don't think there's any other installment as divisive as this one.
The film centers on teenager Jesse and his family moving into 1428 Elm after the events of the original, and very soon he starts experiencing a case of demonic possession at the hands of Freddy Krueger.
What's notable is the homoerotic subtext present through the entire movie. Occasionally it becomes the focus of unintentional comedy, but it also offers us a new way of looking at Freddy. As a representation of the sexual confusion that arises during puberty and the dominant monster that lurks with us.
The common use of a non-dream setting and these discussed factors allow "Freddy's Revenge" to flourish in its own way. In a way it feels like a wasted entry in that it doesn't end up being expanded on later in the series, but it does work very well as its own movie.
5. A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) - 7/10
"The Dream Master" in many ways is the first time that Freddy Krueger is fully transformed into your typical slasher villain. The mythological world of dreaming in Springwood has been well and truly established by the end of Part 3, but this is also when the franchise begins the journey into more commercial territory.
In this movie, Freddy becomes far more vocal and has a transformation into a figure of dark comedy as much as horror. It's characteristic of the more mainstream perception of him that's made him a household name.
The character development is more limited this time around, leading to more minimal investment on the end of the audience. Making up for it though, the dream sequences are far more numerous and imaginative, which honestly is all you need sometimes. It's sad to see your beloved characters from "Dream Warriors" meet a sudden demise, and the central focus is on a real 'final girl' archetype who we never get to know.
The fourth movie plays it safe, heavily uses popular culture of the era and it's much too formulaic for my liking, but it does make for a fun watch. You just won't see yourself returning to it often.
6. A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) - 5/10
To be honest, I find it really hard to discuss the fifth film. It's an amazingly unmemorable movie, and the first entry into the series that I've disliked. At this point, the original spark that made Freddy Krueger and "A Nightmare On Elm Street" what it was was lost.
The film carries on with a tale centered on the survivors of Freddy's onslaught in "The Dream Master", but somehow ended up totally confused in its own narrative. It's a total mishmash of scenes where only a fraction appear to build towards a three-act narrative. The characters are bland and lifeless, and the script is made up largely by terrible, expository dialogue.
Giving it some credit though, I loved how it finally depicted aspects of Freddy Krueger's past in what's a very disjointed attempt at adding more to his character, being he really is the star of these movies. Additionally, some of the practical special effects look grossly fantastic, ironically so because a salient rushing is present through everything else.
7. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) - 3/10
I'm unspeakably baffled by the thought of what was going through the executives at the studio's heads when they pieced this garbage together. To cite that they saved the best for last, and then release this almost acts as a sick joke on loyal Freddy fans. The previous movie might have struggled, but with "Freddy's Dead", it's as though the writers have simply thrown in the towel.
The film creates a world where Freddy has killed off all the teens of Springwood, the town has gone into a collective psychosis and he begins haunting the dreams of his daughter and a few survivors. The premise isn't so bad, but the approach is what makes this movie so terrible. It's not a horror film at all. It's a deliberate comedy, and not a very good one. Freddy's humour has gone into the territories of clunky pop culture references and product placement. It's idiotic and basically insults the fanbase.
I won't lie though. Watching this with a group of friends is an enjoyable experience. You'll find yourself hilariously tearing it to shreds and dropping your mouths in awe of the nonsense together. Watching it on your own however is just a waste of time.
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