As I've said in previous reviews, a crossover between Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th was considered back in 1987, as Part VII was in production, but only gained traction after the franchise was sold to New Line Cinema, which owned the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The two franchises have had a shared history, with Nightmare director Wes Craven having started out with Cunningham in the early 70's. Cunningham had been involved with the project through its development hell, before finally, after the diminished success of Jason X, they were able to go ahead with production. In the director's seat was Ronnie Yu, who had a prolific career in Hong Kong action cinema, before coming to Hollywood in the 90's to direct films like Warriors of Virtue and Bride of Chucky. Yu had initially rejected the script for not showing who actually won, but was brought on when told he could choose who won. Several scripts and ideas were tossed around, including a cult worshipping Freddy, Freddy and Jason having interwoven pasts, Jason driving a Suburu, and even Clive Barker's Pinhead making a cameo at the end, before the final script by Damian Shannon
Mark Swift was turned in. Even then, David S. Goyer was brought in to trim the script down (since the original was two hours long). Kane Hodder was considered, but ultimately, Yu decided a larger figure was needed to contrast with the short Freddy Krueger, so Ken Kirzinger was chosen instead (prompting some resentment from Hodder, who had been Jason since 1987). Released in 2003, it was a financial hit, and a fan favorite, though critically mixed. This would be the last time that Robert Englund would reprise the role of Freddy Kruger, and the last film in both franchises before they were rebooted
Freddy Kruger (Robert Englund) is in hell (I haven't seen any Nightmare films except the first one, so I'm not sure of the greater context of this), and the people of Springwood have forgotten about him, so he can't get to haunting and killing them in their dreams. To spruce everyone's memories, he recruits Jason (Ken Kirzinger), by disguising himself as his mother (Paula Shaw), and bringing him to Springwood. At a party held by Lori Campbell (Monica Keena) and friends Kia (Kelly Rowland), Gibb(Katherine Isabella), Trey (Jesse Hutch), and Blake (David Kopp), Jason subsequently kills Trey in his bed, which is blamed on Freddy. Later, Freddy haunts Blake in a dream, and Jason knocks him off in real life. Meanwhile, Lori's ex-boyfriend Will (Jason Ritter) and Mark (Branden Fletcher) catch the news of the murders at their psychiatric facility, where they are held to suppress their dreams (ensuring Freddy doesn't come back), taking a drug called Hypnocil. At a rave later on, Lori encounters Will, who attempts to explain the situation. Freddy, meanwhile, haunts Gibb, and attempts to kill her, but Jason gets to her before he can finish the job. Freddy realizes that Jason is depriving him of potential victims. Lori, Will, and their friends escape, and with Deputy Stubbs (Lochlyn Munro), hatch a plan to take down the two killers, while Freddy decides that Jason has served his purpose.
The inevitable fight between the two is not disappointing. I mean, that is probably the one thing that shouldn't be messed up. It's long, it utilizes the strengths and weaknesses of the two characters, and it has a satisfying conclusion. Plus, it's just fun to watch, clearly drawing on Yu's experience with Hong Kong martial arts films. Like I said, I haven't most of the Nightmare films, but I think just a basic knowledge of both franchises is required to watch this. There is fan service and the two mythologies are intertwined, but even someone with a causal knowledge of either franchise should be able to understand what's happening. Lori is a well-written character, who has her own sort of deal, that is resolved towards the very end. Kelly Rowland is entertaining as the best friend.
Some continuity issues bothered me, including Jason's newfound fear of water. Given he has been in water in the other films (and even swam all the way to New York City in one of them), I doubt that was something from the franchise mythology. The Hypnocil subplot, (in which it is revealed that the drug puts people in a comatose state) had potential, but they never explore it, or give it a satisfying conclusion. I feel also a bit more history should've been in both films, like things from other films in the franchises, or even minor nods to them.
This was just a lot of fun to watch. Even given my lack of familiarity with the Nightmare series, I could tell this was very satisfying for fans of both franchises, and shows the two slashers at their highest point. Give this was their last outing in their original forms, it was appropriate, and a nice send-off to both franchises. As I said before, the horror landscape was changing away from what had fueled them during their 80's heyday. The very year this came out, a short film called Saw was made, which would spark its own distinct franchise that continues to this day.
Another film came out that year, a remake which would spark a series of remakes and reboots of 70's and 80's horror franchises, which will lead to our final film for Summer of Terror: the 2009 reboot.
Mark Swift was turned in. Even then, David S. Goyer was brought in to trim the script down (since the original was two hours long). Kane Hodder was considered, but ultimately, Yu decided a larger figure was needed to contrast with the short Freddy Krueger, so Ken Kirzinger was chosen instead (prompting some resentment from Hodder, who had been Jason since 1987). Released in 2003, it was a financial hit, and a fan favorite, though critically mixed. This would be the last time that Robert Englund would reprise the role of Freddy Kruger, and the last film in both franchises before they were rebooted
Freddy Kruger (Robert Englund) is in hell (I haven't seen any Nightmare films except the first one, so I'm not sure of the greater context of this), and the people of Springwood have forgotten about him, so he can't get to haunting and killing them in their dreams. To spruce everyone's memories, he recruits Jason (Ken Kirzinger), by disguising himself as his mother (Paula Shaw), and bringing him to Springwood. At a party held by Lori Campbell (Monica Keena) and friends Kia (Kelly Rowland), Gibb(Katherine Isabella), Trey (Jesse Hutch), and Blake (David Kopp), Jason subsequently kills Trey in his bed, which is blamed on Freddy. Later, Freddy haunts Blake in a dream, and Jason knocks him off in real life. Meanwhile, Lori's ex-boyfriend Will (Jason Ritter) and Mark (Branden Fletcher) catch the news of the murders at their psychiatric facility, where they are held to suppress their dreams (ensuring Freddy doesn't come back), taking a drug called Hypnocil. At a rave later on, Lori encounters Will, who attempts to explain the situation. Freddy, meanwhile, haunts Gibb, and attempts to kill her, but Jason gets to her before he can finish the job. Freddy realizes that Jason is depriving him of potential victims. Lori, Will, and their friends escape, and with Deputy Stubbs (Lochlyn Munro), hatch a plan to take down the two killers, while Freddy decides that Jason has served his purpose.
The inevitable fight between the two is not disappointing. I mean, that is probably the one thing that shouldn't be messed up. It's long, it utilizes the strengths and weaknesses of the two characters, and it has a satisfying conclusion. Plus, it's just fun to watch, clearly drawing on Yu's experience with Hong Kong martial arts films. Like I said, I haven't most of the Nightmare films, but I think just a basic knowledge of both franchises is required to watch this. There is fan service and the two mythologies are intertwined, but even someone with a causal knowledge of either franchise should be able to understand what's happening. Lori is a well-written character, who has her own sort of deal, that is resolved towards the very end. Kelly Rowland is entertaining as the best friend.
Some continuity issues bothered me, including Jason's newfound fear of water. Given he has been in water in the other films (and even swam all the way to New York City in one of them), I doubt that was something from the franchise mythology. The Hypnocil subplot, (in which it is revealed that the drug puts people in a comatose state) had potential, but they never explore it, or give it a satisfying conclusion. I feel also a bit more history should've been in both films, like things from other films in the franchises, or even minor nods to them.
This was just a lot of fun to watch. Even given my lack of familiarity with the Nightmare series, I could tell this was very satisfying for fans of both franchises, and shows the two slashers at their highest point. Give this was their last outing in their original forms, it was appropriate, and a nice send-off to both franchises. As I said before, the horror landscape was changing away from what had fueled them during their 80's heyday. The very year this came out, a short film called Saw was made, which would spark its own distinct franchise that continues to this day.
Another film came out that year, a remake which would spark a series of remakes and reboots of 70's and 80's horror franchises, which will lead to our final film for Summer of Terror: the 2009 reboot.
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