Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

‘Whatever you do... don't fall asleep.’
- Nancy

There are plenty of good reasons to be afraid of the dark, simply because in the dead of night we are at our most vulnerable. This is when we slip into unconsciousness, and the world fades away. In the darkness of night who knows what lurks in the shadows, what waits for us to sleep, to claim us when we cannot fight back or least expect it. Or rather, that's what our imagination would like us to believe.  

Yes, it is our mind that truly makes us fear the dark. It makes us believe that perhaps something with endless rows of teeth waits for us in the shadows when in reality we are safe, and often times those fears come from our nightmares. Those vivid slices of distorted life where we meet the monster before being forcefully removed from our peaceful slumber, only to be comforted by the safety of reality. Sure, we may flip on a light to give us an extra sense of security, but we know that nightmares aren't real. But what if they were? What if the boogey man that waited for us in dreamland was waiting there all along? These are questions that are posed in the 1984 classic horror film...A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

Something horrible has happened on the once quiet and peaceful Elm Street. A young girl named Tina has been murdered and it would seem her boyfriend is the culprit. The police have him locked up, the matter should be closed, but Nancy, a friend of Tina’s believes that the boyfriend is innocent. Only because Tina once spoke of a horrible man that haunted her dreams, a horribly burned man that has also showed up in Nancy's dreams. As she begins an investigation of her own, she uncovers that the man of their nightmares is more than a figment of their imagination. He is a former child killer known as Fred Krueger and he has come from beyond to claim them all.  

Hands down, this is one of the most absolutely terrifying horror films I have ever seen. Simply due to the fact that the first time you watch this motion picture, you come to realize that this is truly something fresh and original. There were no formulas to follow here or plot devices that you could predict simply because of the fact that this is a film that invented so many of them. It was a wild ride, and you had no clue where you were headed on this waking nightmare and that's all courtesy of the fine work of actor Robert Englund as Fred Krueger. He truly brings the madman to life, playing this child murderer with a zest and zeal that repulses and terrifies every single second he is on screen.

Not to mention this film has some of the most incredible kills I've ever seen in a horror/slasher film. Between Tina's death and Glen's death, comes not only eye popping ‘how the hell did they do that’ moments but a surprise trick from Writer/Director Wes Craven, an almost dreamlike ending to their lives. Yes, that's one of the amazing things that this motion picture manages to do, blur the line between reality and fantasy, making for a jarring experience that stays with you long after the movie is over. It truly is a modern classic, and one that has withstood the test of time. It also reinvented the genre and launched a powerhouse franchise... all from the simple concept, of a bad dream come to life.  

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