Movies
A Nightmare Remake On Elm Street
Is this Elm Street the worst of the franchise? Not by a long shot! But is it a worthy entry into one of horror’s most highly lauded franchises? Unquestionably no.
In the discussion of aughts remakes, films like House of Wax, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dawn of the Dead, The Grudge, The Ring, and The Hills Have Eyes are the films that dominate the conversation. For good reason. Each of these remakes took the source material and elaborated on them. Remakes shouldn’t be intended as fodder to see big moments recreated for no other reason than nostalgia. Out of the ‘big’ slashers of the late ‘70s and ‘80s, only two seemed to resonate with audiences enough for at least one sequel: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. Even the different and fun Friday the 13th remake wasn’t strong enough to spawn a sequel. Why not? (Set aside the fact that Jason Vorhees met a similar fate as Michael Myers in the DGG Halloween trilogy.) More importantly, what happened with A Nightmare on Elm Street and its abysmal attempt to spawn a new series run?
Is A Nightmare on Elm Street an Aughts Remake?
Starting off, can A Nightmare on Elm Street be considered an aughts remake? This unimportant question has haunted me for weeks. Plainly put, yes. Since production started in ‘08, we can consider this an aughts film. Glad that’s cleared up.
Music video director Samuel Bayer, who directed the brilliant Green Day concert video Bullet in a Bible, would make his singular feature film debut with the Elm Street remake. Tonally, A Nightmare on Elm Street very much feels like an early-aughts fart rock music video. And the direction suffers because of it. Visually gritty and dark, with muted yellows and overall offputting computer assistance, this film feels more try-hard than the other films of its ilk during this time. But where the film fails, it also [partially] succeeds.
Out of all the slasher heavy hitters, Freddy Krueger is the one I care least about. Each film in this franchise has felt like a chore to watch. The original A Nightmare on Elm Street slashed its way into the hearts of genre fans in ‘84, but a recent rewatch has made it explicitly clear that it feels just as cheesy and ineffective as I remembered. For an hour and a half, Robert Englund and Heather Lagenkamp carry this hole-ridden bucket of blood with minor patch jobs from some solid practical effects. For every interesting moment of horror, you are met with a handful of out-of-place puns, Dan Flashes T-shirts, smoking fedoras, and a (checks notes) booby trap scene.
The moments in the original that work, work. Damn well. Tina’s death scene looks just as good now as it would have looked in ‘84. It’s raw and brutal, and one hell of an opening kill. In comparison, the opening kill in the remake is also equally brutal. Dean takes a knife and drives the handle deep into his throat. Both are bloody, intense and, dare I say, the best kills of each one? This is pretty much where the two films split. The original gets funky and funny in a way that just doesn’t work [for me]. It’s not clever, fun, or worth the bloodshed that ensues. The remake takes an entirely different route and falls apart for its own reasons. But as stated, where the film fails, it also [partially] succeeds.
A Tonally Controversial Krueger
Instead of being funny and letting Krueger exist in this ambiguous state of conviction, the remake tells all. Craven had said that Krueger’s sexual proclivities were what we thought they were, initially. This would then be pulled back, and Englund’s Krueger would exist solely as a murderer. Looking at Krueger as a killer, rather than a killer and rapist, makes it easier to joke around with him. That’s not to say murder is forgivable, but I’d rather laugh along with a murderer than a murderer/rapist. Maybe I don’t think murder is serious. Jackie Earle Haley had some large shoes to fill as Freddy Krueger, possibly giving him the hardest job out of all of the heavy hitter remakes of the aughts. Leatherface, Myers, and Vorhees don’t have dialogue. Yes, they can still character-act through their performances, it’s just a bit easier for them than it was for Jackie Earle Haley.
The tumultuous decade that was the aughts produced some of the biggest, loudest, angriest, meanest horror films to date. As we all know, the world was in a post-9/11 shock that affected every aspect of life, and horror was no different. Zombie’s Michael Myers was a hulking brute of terror, fueled by pure anger. Nispel’s Leatherface imbued a xenophobia and hatred felt by many. Bayer’s Krueger was…just gross. Making Krueger a cannon pedo is a choice, and it’s a deliberate choice. But now the audience can’t laugh along with him. Again, child murder is unforgivable, but it still feels a bit less personal than murder/rape. So excuse me if I don’t want to laugh along and include Haley’s Freddy as a fun tongue-in-cheek entry into Freddies.
On Haley’s performance, it works. Jackie Earle Haley is an incredibly talented character actor. What he does with this Krueger works for what it is. He’s abhorrent and reprehensible in every aspect. He’s foreboding, terrifying, and an all-around bad guy. The few jokes thrown in felt forced and out of place for this interpretation of the character. A focus on pure evil would have made this antagonist feel less muddled.
Does the new Freddy Krueger Work?
Both films disseminate the lore of Freddy through the characters, though, again, it feels too forced with the remake. In the original, the character of Freddy flows naturally through the series of events, while the remake just assumes you know the intricate lore of what Freddy is and lets you fill in your own blanks. The only interesting piece of storytelling we get for remake Freddy is when Quentin has his big nightmare during his swim meet.
Oh, and we don’t need to talk about remake Freddy’s design. Right? It speaks for itself.
The casts of both films are stellar, but the Oscar for Best Casting goes to the remake with the likes of Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Connie Britton, Clancy Brown, and the aforementioned Jackie Earle Haley. With a cast like that, how can you fail? A sloppy story, forced brutality, and terrible direction make A Nightmare on Elm Street a sleep-paralysis demon borne of post-9/11 anger.
Is this Elm Street the worst of the franchise? Not by a long shot! But is it a worthy entry into one of horror’s most highly lauded franchises? Unquestionably no.
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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