Nightmare was an absolute surprise hit in 1984 and launched one of the most iconic horror franchises. Since then, a series and nine films have been produced in which Freddy Krueger scrapes his blade fingers over metal and haunts teen dreams.
In 2010, Nightmare got the obligatory remake. But instead of the fear-filled hymns of praise for the original, there was only sorrow and disappointment.
Today on TV: Despite the impressive cast, the horror remake is disappointing in every respect
“The Nightmare on Elm Street remake mimics the original in the worst possible way“, Rotten Tomatoes sums up the scathing reviews. The film only gets 14 percent approval there. At Moviepilot, the failure has a 5.6 out of 10 and at Metacritic it’s just enough for 35 out of 100 points.
My colleague Matthias Hopf has already summed it up at Moviepilot:
A Nightmare on Elm Street don’t bring any ideas of your ownbut primarily tries to imitate the iconic images of the original.
It all started very promisingly – with a strong cast and a cool trailer:
A Nightmare on Elm Street – Trailer (German)
Memorable Watchmen star Jackie Earle Haley takes on Robert Englund’s iconic role as Freddy Kueger. The cast also includes promising talent such as Kyle Gallner (Veronica Mars, Smile), Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights, Nashville) and Arrowverse star Katie Cassidy.
However, Rooney Mara stands out the most. She had her big break just a year after the remake as Lisbeth Salander in the hard-hitting thriller Verblendung. Her nuanced performances in Side Effects, Her and Carol cemented her status as one of the most compelling actresses of her generation. Even Mara couldn’t resist Nightmare on Elm Street’s inconsequential script.
We recommend you better get the original by horror legend Wes Craven (Scream series). You can rent the bloody thriller from Amazon, for example *.
Podcast tip after Nightmare on Elm Street: Why is German TV so boring?
As if boring remakes weren’t enough, there’s also CSI and Germany’s Next Topmodel on television 70 times a week during prime time. German free TV is at its lowest point and still can’t be killed. We discuss why this is the case in the Moviepilot podcast:
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We explain why German television found itself in a downward spiral of cheap TV and a lack of ideas even before Netflix & Co. and why so many are still tuning in. While Andrea sets herself up as a TV hangman, TV lawyer Hendrik passionately defends television.
*The links to the Amazon offer are so-called affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we will receive a commission.