Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

‘Freddy's Dead.’
- Maggie

Every story has to come to an end. No matter how much we love that story, and the world it has opened our minds to, eventually, we must say goodbye to it and all the characters we’ve come to know over the course of the tale, regardless of whether they are good or bad.

Sometimes we are extremely satisfied with the ending and sometimes we are furious. For we feel cheated in some form or fashion when the story doesn't quite end the way we want it to. Sometimes however, the story simply ends and while it may not be satisfying, we at least get closure and it is the latter of those options that brings to conclusion the tale of Freddy Krueger in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. 

There is one child left in the city of Springwood. Freddy has at last claimed the rest of them, but this one has managed to escape. Badly injured and suffering from amnesia, this John Doe arrives in the nearby town of Central City to receive help at a youth center and Maggie, one of the counselors there, believes that perhaps John can jog his memory with a return to Springwood. But this simple act will prove to be anything but. Partly because, they have stowaways on their journey; kids who are trying to escape the youth center. But also, because someone in the group is Freddy's child and Krueger has purposely lured his little one to Springwood for an awful purpose... escape. For with no children left in Springwood, Freddy needs fresh souls and his child will step out into the world where he can kill again, and again and again.  ​

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Truly, this is one of the weaker entries in the Elm Street saga, which is unfortunate, because this film had the potential to be a slam bang finale for the franchise. Sure, this movie does exactly what I mentioned earlier, it gives us an ending, since Freddy dies as advertised. But I think for the fans, myself included, we wanted bigger stakes, a grander scale and something that was just so epic we would sit there with our jaws agape shortly after the film came to an end.  

But the film does say goodbye to Freddy in pretty unique fashion. Since we are at last treated to the complete story of Fred Krueger's life. His younger years, his teenage years and even what he was like as the Springwood Slasher during the daytime and those parts are outstanding. But where the film falls short, aside from being low concept, is the complete lack of scares. Yes, there's nothing creepy about Freddy this time around and there's an air of campiness that makes you want to groan, but at the same time it fits the film. 

After all, while two more films featuring Robert Englund as Krueger were made, they were nothing like the original six, so in a way the camp and cheese speaks to how thin the franchise had been stretched and that indeed it was time to say goodbye. Either way, it's still one worth watching, there are some impressive effects, fun cameos and well... it's Freddy, and while the franchise would change drastically past this point, this is still one fun final ride with one of the greatest film icons in modern horror.  

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