The initial idea for this film from Wes Craven and partner Bruce Wagner involved dreams as a vehicle for time travel. This was rejected out of hand for the producers, who instead went with an idea from Brian Helgeland (recommended by Robert Englund himself, because Halgeland had written Englund's directorial debut 976-EVIL. Helgeland would go on to write LA Confidential) and brothers Ken and Jim Wheat (who would later write the ... Stepford Husbands. Well, they can't all be winners). Finnish director Renny Harlin (later known for Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodbye) got the job after pestering the producers for a while to get the job. Harlin would get inspiration from a Chinese ghost story and many of his own nightmares, though his initial vision for the film was cut down by the producers. Not helping was a then ongoing writer's strike, which forced Harlin and the actors to improvise many scenes. Patricia Arquette, seeking a wider range of roles, turned down a hefty offer to return to her role as Kristen Parker, which went to Tuesday Knight instead. The film had a budget of $14 million, the highest of the series thus far, and grossed $49 million, though with mixed reviews.
After the deaths of Nancy Thompson and Freddy (Robert Englund) in the last one, Kristen (Tuesday Knight), Kincaid (Ken Sagoes), and Joey (Rodney Eastman) try to adjust back into normal life. However, Kristen is still haunted by him, and pulls the other two into her dreams frequently, where they have to calm her. In the meantime, Kristen has a new circle of associates, including boyfriend Rick (Andras Jones), his sister Alice (Lisa Wilcox), Sheila (Toy Newkirk), and Debbie (Brooke Theiss), while keeping in contact with Kincaid and Joey. However, lo and behold, Freddy's back, and he promptly dispatches Kincaid and Joey. Before he kills off Kristen (the last of the children whose parents had killed Freddy), she transfers her abilities to Alice. Now Alice and her friends must stop Freddy, who decides he likes this gig.
This definitely has some of the best dream segments and scares of the franchise thus far. Very inventive, very scary, using a variety of interesting and disturbing imagery, ranging from the mundane gone wrong to the eldritch. There's a martial arts setting early in the film that's a particular highlight. The idea of Alice having the ability to absorb the abilities of her dead friends, along with bringing them into her dreams is an interesting conceit that works well overall. Robert Englund is, as ever, an excellent presence that manages to be slightly intimidating in his own way. I also like that this ends with a full on fight sequence.
I'll admit, I wish that the survivors of the last film had been in it more, or had at least put up more of a fight against Freddy. Given that we had seen them fight off Freddy so effectively, it would've been nice to have them put up more of a fight. It also feels somewhat derivative of the last one in some parts, particularly how it involves a team-up and Freddy dispatches the main teens one by one. It manages to be distinct, but it is quite galling.
So, this has some of the best sequences of the series, but also not really the strongest writing of them. That lands it at a solid okay. Not my favorite per se, but definitely worth watching just for some of these sequences.
Next is The Dream Child.
After the deaths of Nancy Thompson and Freddy (Robert Englund) in the last one, Kristen (Tuesday Knight), Kincaid (Ken Sagoes), and Joey (Rodney Eastman) try to adjust back into normal life. However, Kristen is still haunted by him, and pulls the other two into her dreams frequently, where they have to calm her. In the meantime, Kristen has a new circle of associates, including boyfriend Rick (Andras Jones), his sister Alice (Lisa Wilcox), Sheila (Toy Newkirk), and Debbie (Brooke Theiss), while keeping in contact with Kincaid and Joey. However, lo and behold, Freddy's back, and he promptly dispatches Kincaid and Joey. Before he kills off Kristen (the last of the children whose parents had killed Freddy), she transfers her abilities to Alice. Now Alice and her friends must stop Freddy, who decides he likes this gig.
This definitely has some of the best dream segments and scares of the franchise thus far. Very inventive, very scary, using a variety of interesting and disturbing imagery, ranging from the mundane gone wrong to the eldritch. There's a martial arts setting early in the film that's a particular highlight. The idea of Alice having the ability to absorb the abilities of her dead friends, along with bringing them into her dreams is an interesting conceit that works well overall. Robert Englund is, as ever, an excellent presence that manages to be slightly intimidating in his own way. I also like that this ends with a full on fight sequence.
I'll admit, I wish that the survivors of the last film had been in it more, or had at least put up more of a fight against Freddy. Given that we had seen them fight off Freddy so effectively, it would've been nice to have them put up more of a fight. It also feels somewhat derivative of the last one in some parts, particularly how it involves a team-up and Freddy dispatches the main teens one by one. It manages to be distinct, but it is quite galling.
So, this has some of the best sequences of the series, but also not really the strongest writing of them. That lands it at a solid okay. Not my favorite per se, but definitely worth watching just for some of these sequences.
Next is The Dream Child.
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