Freddy's Dead [SYFY edit]

 

My daughter had already watched the first and fourth films in the Elm Street franchise, and I asked her which she would prefer to watch next. With the second and fifth films available on SYFY, only somewhat edited (language and nudity, the violence surprisingly intact for the most part), she decided on Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991). The idea was that Freddy isn't as scary as he would be in the first film, although even in "The Dream Master" he did bother her enough, she told my wife she didn't sleep well that night. She was giggling at Freddy during the video game segment, telling me he was so silly. Therein lies the issue that is such an absolute ongoing irritation for those fans of the Elm Street films who reminisce about Fred as a real terror that could leave you with a sleepless night or two. I might have mentioned this last time, but I remember a nightmare where he was coming after me, very much like in the first film with his arms stretched out, his claws making their way in my direction. Like Tina I had to run as fast as I could. At least I lived. But the Fred of "Freddy's Dead" just manufactures zero nightmares. I wrote two pieces on this back in early September. I hope after this I'm done. My daughter asked me to explain what happened to John Doe, Spencer, and Carlos, all of whom just vanish, and I had a hard time doing so. Erasing kids instead of them actually dying is this odd storytelling touch that flies in the face of Craven's own rules. Even Part 5 tried to stay within those rules for the most part. Talalay had been in the series long enough to know that, and yet you would think she had forgotten or abandoned them altogether. When I'm interested in fresher perspectives I go to Letterboxd, while YouTube reviewers and IMDb user comments often seem to go a different route. I was quite surprised to see plenty on Letterboxd actually were quite positive towards it, but those real "purist" Elm Street fans are vocally irked by its presence in the series...its a reminder that maybe a series can go on too long. Still made a lot of coin, though. Made up for the lackluster profit of the fifth film. But clearly this is perhaps good for younger horror fans who don't want to start with Scary Freddy. It does have the "Every town has an Elm Street" line and Yaphet Kotto somehow gets out of the sequel unscathed. 

***When Kotto reaches down to see if Freddy is dead, my daughter was wincing, going "No, no, no!" So it isn't without its moments.***