We all know how classic the 1984 horror film was and is. Do I really need to grade it? No. But after watching the documentary "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy," I realized that the films that followed have something that makes them better than I thought they were. Time to grade the "Nightmare On Elm Street" sequels.
1) A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)- In this sequel, a boy named Jesse Walsh and his family move into Nancy Thompson's old house on 1428 Elm Street, and he discovers what happened there. Jesse slowly realizes that Freddy Krueger is not finished with his work in Springwood, and he's found a new companion to kill for him...Jesse himself! With the help of his high school sweetheart Lisa, Jesse must stop Freddy's reign of terror before it's too late. Freddy is still pretty scary in this sequel, and not a single sense of humor in him is evident at all. If you can overlook the awkward and unintentional gay overtones(including the line "Something is trying to get inside my body" and the shower sequence), "Freddy's Revenge" is actually a good sequel. B-
2) A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)- Heather Langenkamp returns as Nancy, who is now a psychologist trying to help damaged teens in a mental hospital who can't sleep. After one kid dies, it is obvious that Freddy Krueger is back to kill what's left of the Elm Street children. And it's up to the remaining 6 teens to use their hidden power and kill the dream-stalker. There is almost nothing wrong with this third "Nightmare." It boasts great dream sequences, a Freddy who is funny but still very creepy, Langenkamp's triumphant return as well as John Saxon's, and the big debut of Patricia Arquette. Just the music could have used a bit of work. Overall, a great sequel. A-
3) A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)- Another batch of Elm Street kids are terrorized by Freddy, and it's up to Alice to stop him once and for all. This is the point when Freddy isn't scary anymore. However, Robert Englund delivers his wisecracks with relish, making Freddy a very macabre comedian. The dream sequences are quite cool, and there's great special effects. Lisa Wilcox makes Alice a very plucky and sympathetic heroine, and I liked her performance very much. Certainly not the original, but still very good. And I'm big fan of director Renny Harlin(Die Hard 2 and Deep Blue Sea). B+
4) A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)- "It's a boy!!!!" Freddy Krueger returns to haunt more dreams while taking over the nightmares of Alice's unborn son. Great special effects, as always, abound in this one. And it has an interesting story. But it does have its flaws. Some of these people look a little bit too old to be graduating high school, the script feels a little bit rushed, and Freddy's jokes are a little close to hitting the line of stupidity. But thankfully, they don't. I'm not saying you should steer clear of Part 5, but altogether, it's just decent. C+
5) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)- Another group of teens battle Freddy in their dreams while a young woman figures out her dark secret that connects to the dream figure. "Freddy's Dead" is almost laughably bad. Some of Freddy's wisecracks are tasteless and very bland. The acting isn't terrible, that's one good thing. But the story isn't interesting and feels formulaic. However, if you don't take it seriously, it's an okay bad movie. Let's be thankful I'm not giving this one an F. D+
6) Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)- Heather Langenkamp is living with her son and husband, and has a good life. But dreams become a reality as those involved with the "Nightmare On Elm Street" movies begin to die one by one. Is Freddy really the cause of these deaths? Unfortunately, yes. Now this is what I'm talking about. Craven's return to his roots is perfect. It's witty, terrifying, gory, and fun. An intelligent premise is not the only thing that's great about this movie. The performances of the cast are marvelous as everyone from the "Elm Street" movies play themselves. Heather Langenkamp's dynamite performance is one to remember. And Robert Englund takes you on a frightening roller coaster ride, playing Freddy with no wisecracks or mercy. He has brought back Freddy's fear factor. Before "New Nightmare," I thought Part 3 was the best of the series. But I think it's safe to say that this one's the best of them since the original. A+
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