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| Original Theatrical Poster |
The Nightmare On Elm Street (NOES) series is, arguably, the finest horror movie series ever made. Yes, most of the sequels have uneven plotting and plot-holes galore. Yes, some of the effects haven't aged very well. But in terms of sheer imagination, visual style, and atmosphere, the NOES series trumps all.
But, for the most part, A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985), the first sequel to Wes Craven's groundbreaking original, is reviled and avoided by most fans, mainly because it wreaks havoc with the mythology that Craven established with his original. It is true the NOES 2's plot doesn't make a hell lotta sense, but the film is rife with subtext, the performances are earnest, and the visuals teeming with fascinating psycho-sexual symbolism and imagery (fire, heat, and sweat are in almost every scene). And the film deals with the teen protagonist's sexual frustration in a disturbing yet compelling manner that was somewhat ahead of its time, especially considering that the film's protagonist is arguably gay or bi-sexual, a point of argument among many fans and even the filmmakers themselves.
Add Jack Sholder's stylish direction, Jaques Haitkin's rich cinematography, and some truly scary hallucinatory sequences, and you've got a horror film that demands to be watched again and again; since, aside from Craven's ingenious New Nightmare (1994), this is thematically the richest sequel of the whole franchise. Highly recommended.
Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.
