If you’re one of those who have watched the previous incarnations of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” films, than you’re already familiar with the story. If you haven’t followed the series, Freddy Krueger is a horrifically burned serial killer who stalks the dreams of the teenagers of Springwood, Ohio.
Unlike the previous films, this reboot replaces the original Robert Englund with the brilliant Jackie Earle Haley in the role of Freddy, taking him to a much darker place in both mood and appearance. Thankfully the comical one-liners that also plagued the latter of the series, have now been replaced with well thought out dialogue that delves deep into the man that Freddy once was, and explains how he became the monster that he is today.
Another thing that compliments this film is the smart story, which allows for a more mentally disturbing movie, opposed to the plethora of classic horror cinema that is being remade, which relies solely on the excess of blood and gore.
My one personal complaint is with the now over saturated CW-esque casting of pretty teens who play Freddy’s victims. I often found myself rooting for Freddy to take them out, which is largely due to Jackie Earle Haley’s magnificent acting abilities in comparison to the stale performances of his co-stars.
“Nightmare on Elm Street” slashes its way into your nightmares, and television sets, on a 50GB Blu-ray Disc with a VC-1, 1080p transfer and a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The best thing about the transfer, especially to real videophiles, is the lack of scrubbing that keeps the original film grain in tact and the textures of the character’s faces looking realistic.
There’s no evidence of noise reduction, the colors are rich and deep, and the blacks are nice and inky. There were a few, and I mean very few, banding issues; but nothing worth mentioning as something that should deter you from picking up your copy.
Nightmare on Elm Street arrives on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless audio track, which plays a crucial role in the success of this film. The chilling underscore, and eerie theme music, are served perfectly and clearly to your ears in such a way that they subtlety lodge themselves into your brain, making you feel that the creaking floorboards are caused by Freddy as he’s standing over your shoulder.
The supplements on this release are about average for most releases nowadays. It’s not over abundant, like I prefer, but it’s definitely not barebones. This 2-Disc version includes:
- DVD/Digital Copy hybrid disc
- WB Maniacal Movie Mode (a picture-in-picture making of video)
- Freddy Krueger Reborn (looks at the icon that is Freddy Krueger)
- Focus Points including: Makeup Makes the Character, Micronaps, The Hat, Practical Fire, The Sweater, The Glove, and The Victims.
- Alternate Opening
- Alternate Ending
- Additional Scenes
The bottom line here is simple. There are two types of horror fans; ones that like well thought out and structured plots that can engage you mentally, and others that prefer little to no plot with massive amounts of blood. If you find yourself in that last category, then this film might not be the best choice for you. I, however, enjoy having my sub-conscious derailed by a well-formed narrative and engaging plot line… Therefore I definitely recommend picking up your copy today!
