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.
Shudder knows summer is the perfect time to watch scary things in air-conditioned places. Which is why the beloved streamer is giving us newer movies like Heresy, Whistle, This is Not a Test, and Smothered. While it’s always fun to see recent titles arrive alongside classics and deep cuts, my eye isn’t on the films this month. Most of my picks this May are television series and documentaries. Maybe that means I want longer comments with my media and an open library. Or perhaps I’m just reminding myself that I’m a cool nerd and making it your problem too. Whatever the case may be, I have curated another list of titles that I believe deserve our attention. Check out my top five priorities while surfing our favorite streamer below.
Tales From the Crypt (1989 – 1996)
Our beloved 90s anthology is finally making its way to our most cherished streamer. As someone who hasn’t seen Tales From the Crypt since I was a tyke, I’m so giddy that I get to watch it as an adult. More importantly, I get to binge it as John Kassir (the voice of our favorite ghoul) intended. I have been floating since this news was announced at the Overlook Film Festival in April. My insomnia and my Crypt Keeper are about to be reunited, and all is going to be alright in my little world. Come for the celebrities and stay for the puns and wicked deaths. I sincerely hope you call out of work each Friday as a new season gets added to Shudder.
You can watch Tales From the Crypt: Season 1 on May 1st. Subsequent seasons will premiere on Fridays, concluding with Season 7 on June 12
Horror Noire: History of Black Horror (2019)
Based on Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman’s book of the same name, Horror Noire: History of Black Horror is simply that girl. It unpacks the complicated history of Black people in the genre with humor, honesty, and heart. It even gets into the conversations no one seems to want to have and makes room for Black horror icons to actually be heard for once. You could hear the record scratch on Bluesky when this Shudder Original disappeared a few months ago. So, we can all rest easy knowing that it’s coming back home and we can continue to have it in our regular rotation. Horror Noire made many of us feel seen and made us better cinephiles and critics. It’s worth the Shudder subscription on its own if we’re being completely honest.
You can watch Horror Noire: History of Black Horror on May 4th.
The Terror: Devil in Silver (2026)
Your favorite unsettlingly stoic anthology has returned for a new season, and this time, Dan Stevens is in the mix. Stevens plays Pepper, a man with bad luck and a bad temper who gets himself committed to a psychiatric hospital. Any horror fan knows that’s the recipe for many horror bangers, and that’s why I will be sat. The cast also includes CCH Pounder, Judith Light, and Marin Ireland. However, my heart belongs to Karyn Kusama, who is in the director’s chair and the queen of tension. As a Momma Kusma stan account, I am so ready for her to raise my blood pressure and send me to the ER. The demonic duo of AMC+ and Shudder is cooking with this one.
You can watch episode one of The Terror: Devil in Silver on May 7th. Subsequent episodes will premiere weekly, concluding with the season finale on June 11th.
In Search of Darkness 1990-1994 (2024)
We all love to see our faves get together and discuss the horror eras we have romanticized. Which is why watching genre royalty unpack the “lost” decade of horror is something we all probably want to see. As a 90s kid, I feel like we ate pretty well in my day. So, I want to collect all of these stories like infinity stones. Some of the faces we can expect to see are Heather Langenkamp, John Carpenter, Frank Henenlotter, Tim Balme, and Michael Gross. My little nerd heart could bust, and I am happy Shudder is opening the library this May.
You can watch episode one of In Search of Darkness 1990-1994 on May 11th.
Something Is About to Happen (2023)
Things take a turn for a woman who loses her job as a computer programmer. The only movie in my roundup this month goes to the one I perhaps know the least about. Truthfully, I am just here for horror movies about women going through it. Excuse me as I gesture to the world and my bank account. More importantly, Spanish-language horror rarely fails me. So, I am willing to look past the two-hour and two-minute runtime. I am ignoring that it is listed as a romantic horror. I’m doing this because I expect my kind of chaos, and I hope I am right. From one down girl to another, I am rooting for this character on sight.
You can watch episode one of Something Is About to Happen on May 15th.
That is what I plan to use my Shudder Saturdays for this month. Let us know what you’re plotting to hit play on in the comments because we’re nosy.
Is anyone else remembering we have movies at home and logging in a lot of Netflix hours this spring? I know I am, and I keep finding more hidden treasures on this app. They collect so much international media and never tell us they have it. I find this frustrating as I pull up late to things I’m probably going to love. Quite a few foreign films make it into my lineup this month. Two of them I have never heard of before and are newer titles that should be getting some attention, in case they’re some of the best of their respective years. One is French, and we all need to revisit it for reasons that I’ll explain later.
Another thing worth noting about Netflix’s recent additions is an American show called Man on Fire. This serialized adaptation of A. J. Quinnell’s novel of the same name stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. He’ll be playing the character my generation associates with Denzel Washington because of the 2004 film adaptation. As a nerd who has been wondering why Yahya hasn’t been on my screen for a minute, I will probably have finished binging this before you even make it to the end of this article. I digress! Here are the five movies I plan to watch this month on Netflix!
180 (2026)
An act of road rage leaves a young boy in critical condition and his father seeking revenge. As usual, Netflix has not really advertised this South African thriller. However, I love revenge and am always game for a new release. So, I’m happy the powers that be put this in the recent lineup. It looks good, which gives me hope that this is going to be a gritty and bloody adventure. Fingers crossed, a few of you also hit play on this one because I’d like more quality South African thrillers that are easily accessible in America. I’m tired of hunting them down years after the fact.
Benedetta (2021)
A nun has religious visions that threaten the core of the Church while she is also having a secret affair in the 17th century. You are probably confused as to why Paul Verhoeven’s French psychological romantic drama is in my Netflix round-up. Especially if you clocked the long run time, and now I love a 90-minute or less movie. Listen! If you give me a nun having visions and having a lesbian affair in a period piece, it is my sworn duty to tell everybody. It is also my job to rewatch it for reasons. Don’t say I never did anything for you!
Him (2025)
A young athlete discovers why you should never meet your heroes when he is invited to train with a football legend. People were way too mean to this movie. It’s giving Neon Demon and Black Swan for Black male athletes. It’s not perfect, but the aesthetics and vibes are on 10. More importantly, Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers deliver some pretty fantastic performances that keep you locked in. I’m excited to revisit it and see if I like it more (or less) than when I caught it in theaters. Hopefully, more people will do the same now that the more biased discourse has died down.
Mudborn (2025)
A spirit terrorizes a video-game designer and his pregnant wife. I have no idea what to expect from Meng-Ju Shieh’s Mandarin supernatural horror film. However, I’m excited to see what this spirit is about. Again, Netflix continues to drop the ball on advertising international films. So, it’s up to us to find it in the streets and raise the alarm. In a perfect world, this movie will be the nightmare fuel I’m always seeking out. However, at the end of the day, I’m just happy to show up and support international films helmed by people of color. It’s a win-win situation, however I look at it.
Scream (2022)
A new Ghostface is terrorizing Woodsboro 25 years after the original killing spree rocked the town. As a Wes Craven stan account and fan of Radio Silence, I was so happy this movie turned out awesome. I can still say this is one of my favorite horror wins of this decade because it showed this franchise still had some life in it. It also introduced us to our Core Four, led by my new favorite final girl, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera). As someone who enjoyed these first six movies, I will always clear my schedule for a marathon and am happy to see Scream (2022) on Netflix this month. I plan to rewatch it and continue being salty that I will never know how this new trilogy was supposed to end.
That’s what I have this month. Happy Netflixing to each and every one of you!
