Wes Craven's A Nightmare On Elm Street is a horror classic that is still loved by fans of the genre. Freddy Krueger is one of the most recognizable horror movie villains of all time, and Robert Englund's portrayal of the Springwood slasher is one of the best horror film performances ever.
A Nightmare On Elm Street is one of the longest and most well-known horror franchises. Some films are scarier than others. Freddy changed a lot over the years. He started off scary and mysterious, then he became a comedian halfway through the franchise.
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
This was meant to be the final entry in the franchise, killing Freddy off for good. The criticism over this movie played a role in Wes Craven returning to the franchise to put the film series back on track in Wes Craven's New Nightmare three years later. The story of Freddy's daughter coming to Springwood in a Twin Peaks-like parody is so ridiculous and over-the-top.
There is nothing remotely scary about it. Jokes involving power gloves and The Wizard Of Oz try to be funny, but they simply just make audiences cringe. This is easily regarded as the worst of the franchise, and people that see it understand why.
Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)
This movie is not a bad film. It is a fun movie that brings two famous horror icons, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, to battle it out. Watching the film is an enjoyable experience, but it is not scary. Instead of being a horror movie, it is an action movie.
There is nothing necessarily wrong with that, but people who are looking for a really good scary movie would be disappointed in the film. The fight sequences between Freddy and Jason are a lot of fun, though.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
Alice, the final girl of the previous film, returns in this installment pregnant and dealing with the fact that her unborn child is dreaming of Freddy. There is a gothic feel to this movie, and there are some great moments in the film, including Dan's motorcycle death and the dinner party scene.
However, Freddy is quite the jokester in this movie which ruins any chance of the film being scary. There are moments where they tried to keep a creepy, eerie atmosphere, but every time Freddy makes a joke, the tension is gone.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
This is definitely a step down from the previous entry in the franchise, Dream Warriors, but it is still a fun movie. Freddy's comedian phase in the franchise is definitely a part of this film, but unlike the two entries that came after this, some of the jokes worked, and there were still some good suspenseful moments to please fans of the series that love the creepy aspects of the franchise.
Alice may not be Nancy Thompson, but she is still a good final girl for the movie. It is simply a fun horror-comedy that is entertaining from beginning to end.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)
Many people consider this film one of the worst horror movie remakes of all time. However, this film tried its best to make the franchise scary again. Nevermind the CGI or the fact that Robert Englund did not return to play the iconic role.
This film is dark, and watching the teens try to figure out what this psychopath did to them when they were young children is disturbing and suspenseful. It is an underrated remake, and it deserves to be watched by those who want a dark A Nightmare On Elm Street movie.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Dream Warriors is arguably the best sequel in the franchise. Freddy Krueger is at his finest with the correct balance between being sinister with jokes that actually are funny. It takes a group of teenagers working together to battle Freddy for the match to seem even. Freddy simply seems more powerful in this sequel, making the battles between Freddy and the teens scarier and scarier.
All the leads are likable in this film, and viewers want them all to survive. Of course, being a slasher movie, that is not the case. The anticipation of each killing keeps the suspense alive.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
This sequel has gotten more and more appreciation over the years. The story itself does not make much sense. Part of the charm of the original film was the whole concept of Freddy reaching his victims in their dreams.
With a power like that, why would Freddy even want to be in the real world where he is vulnerable again? The movie itself, however, is creepy. The atmosphere, the tension, and Robert Englund's performance as our iconic villain are just as unsettling in this movie as the original.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
After Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Wes Craven returned to the franchise to direct this smart, original sequel. It takes place in the real world where Heather Langenkamp, the actress who portrayed Nancy Thompson in the franchise, has to save herself and her son from a demonic-like being portraying Freddy.
It is a great meta-horror movie, coming out two years before Wes Craven perfected the self-referential horror movie with Scream. Freddy is finally dark and scary again, especially because this Freddy is not actually the Freddy from the movies. It is a great movie that is definitely one of the scariest in the franchise.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
There is just nothing like the original. The introduction to Freddy Krueger and the creepy score will always be a classic. No A Nightmare On Elm Street movie could ever be as terrifying as this film. The mystery that adds to the horror is there. Who is this man? Why does he wear that glove? Why is he killing these kids?
The setup is scary, and Freddy rarely speaks in the film, adding to the mystique and tension of the movie. It is an absolute horror classic, and it is without a doubt the scariest film in the franchise.