Posted on: Friday, April 30th, 2010
Posted in: AJ Exclusives
Comments: 93
Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Movie Review
Short Version: A pointless cash-grab remake that goes through the motions paying homage to the original but adding nothing of its own, aside from a “darker tone”. Gee how original. In just a few months no one will remember this film, just the superior original classic. It’s only saving grace is Jackie Earle Haley performance despite the material given to him.
What you’ll Like:
• Jackie Earle Haley is an excellent successor to Robert Englund as Freddy.
• Freddy is More Evil and more Disturbing but lacks the same “Charm”.
• The Last 5 Seconds of the Movie. (more FX like this please)
• The upset look on my lady friends face next to me when the “Twilight” kid dies at the beginning.
What you’ll Hate:
• Freddy’s New Face is Terrible.
• The New Nancy isn’t as resourceful and strong as the original Nancy.
• If the intent was to make the movie more visceral and scary by removing the camp and charm it failed.
• A Boring, Uninspired waste of an Iconic Horror Villain – what was the point? Just $$$.
Final Verdict:
5/10
Average
(But a Disappointment in my eyes because i’m a Huge Fan of Freddy)
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93 thoughts on “Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Movie Review”
So, ANGRY JOE hated this ; the CINEMA SNOB loved it (btw, he has it all wrong, no valid arguments and i think he liked it just because he was expecting something trully atrocious) and MOVIE BOB, from the escapist (you know, zeropunctuation – yahtzee’s site) absolutely HATED it, and has some valid arguments, might wanna check it out.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1680-A-Nightmare-on-Elm-Street
genius genius genius. the best review I’ve ever seen. thank you Joe. angry man from the Czech Republic
You’re right Joe, to many jump scares. LAME. Although I have to disagree with alot of what you said. You can’t go in to this movie thinking only about the 1st film. I think that is what ruined the experience for you. Many people complain that the remake is not going to be as good as the original. Or that, “it could have been so much more”. Well of course it’s not going to better and there is’nt “much more”. That’s why it’s a remake. Everything has been done before. When has a remake ever been better or even as good as the original? They tried to make this it’s own film. I believe they acomplished that somewhat by not having any cheeky one liners or cameo’s from the original series. On the other hand they did take certain scenes straight out of the first film, frame by frame. I didn’t mind that. The director made it dark and creepy. There was a sense of forboding throughout the entire movie. I’m 27, and I’ve been watching the Nightmare series since I can remember. I love it. But I was still entertained by the new film. I didn’t let myself mega-nerd out too tarnish the experience. If I had I would be as angry as you Joe! By the way, I paid 5 bucks and it was worth every penny. 11 dollars, pfffttt. Love the site, keep up the funny!
I cant fucking believe I missed this.
DOUG BRADLEY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
im looking forward to watch this movie hehe – i even enjoyed the new friday the 13th
BUT agree the old fridays were more kick ass.
but im glad that freddy is not funny..i hated that comedy shit. i enjoyed it when he really just enjoyed cold hard killing
After seeing the movie twice, once with my pals, and again with my girlfriend, i’ve come to the conclusion that for Freddy’s new face, they were not only going for a “severe burn that healed so the skin is really white” look, but as a retarded add on, they go for a “Oh look im dead so half of my face has decayed off” look. That wasn’t in the original, why the hell add it here? Idk, i agree with you Joe, Platinum Dunes is nothing more than a Horror movie money grab.
They have no new idea’s! Does’nt anybody understand this? That’s the reason for the remakes/reboots/reimaginings. If producers do have a new idea, it sucks. Oh well.
And guess what, first they ruined Jason which is my favortie horor charecter, then now Freddy and guess what Friday the 13th the remake was rated a B porn movie, and now this they shoudlve sticked too the originals.
Well I genraly hate Freddy, but I’m a Jason fan but looking at this review the movie probably sucks
i thought Jackie Earle Haley would save the movie… i guess i ll wait to borrow the movie to someone who was sucker enough to buy it.
Worked on me with that ugly face of yours sticking your tongue out and everything! that would scare anybody joe!
God damn first halloween then friday the 13th now this crap all of my childhood favorites are being destroyed whats next robocop. I normally hate remakes but i have to agree with joe on star trek i can’t wait for the sequel
What’s with the new shirt and jacket? It’s pretty cool though.
Whats more shocking about a big-budget remake losing the essence of Freddie is that a no-budget movie was able to do it.
To those who haven’t seen it I seriously recommend downloading Freddy vs The Ghostbusters (do not buy it, it is a fan made movie and as such the makers are not allowed to profit from it, if you pay for it none of the money goes back to anybody involved in the movie). Due to a lack of a budget the special effects aren’t hollywood standard though they are more than adequate and it is short running at about 20-30 minutes but the concept is good and well executed and puts a lot of imagination into the Freddy character, the first death in particular captures the sadistic humour perfectly.
Good review joe, I have a question though..
I just watched the review, and you basically spent the whole time ripping the movie to shreds, other than the actor who plays the new Freddy… other than that you seemed ready to give this movie a 2 or 3. Since you mentioned no other redeeming qualities, does his performance alone really bump it up a few points?
Also, digging fuzz you have going
Plus it’s nice to see you get back to ANGRY joe.
lol I was waiting for that last “blah!”.
No you can’t replace Mr.Englund. Or do good as him to FK. You’d have to see a lot of the NOES movies and watch them extremely close to get that though.
So jackie earl haley. I’m sorry. But you can never do as good of a job at playing Freddy then Mr.Englund.
I have respect for you trying though. That’s for sure.
I love your review on GI Joe rise of cobra but i’m gonna have to disagree with on this movie because I liked it. I know you miss the original Freddy look but the new one looked like a burned victim. I do agree with the plot needed work and do feel Freddy could have had a few more one-liners. I do think Freddy should have been a Child killer on top of Pedophile to make him unforgivably menacing. I love Robert England as Freddy and Jackie did fine Job as Freddy I don’t think anyone can replace England but he did fine with what he was given.
I do think if you see it don’t compare it to the original and try not to nit pick because it’s not the original one and you might be entertain. I do recommend only to those who hadn’t seen the original so you don’t nit pick it to death or younger audience who’s getting into the horror films and those will except this movie for what it is. i’ll give it a 7 out of 10.
Criticize me all you want but if I was entertain I was entertain and I seen the originals and I love them and I didn’t go there to compare it the originals like a lot reviewers do because that would be pointless. I do feel like a lot of reviewers and fans are going to hate this because there’s no Robert England or it’s not like the original or just for hating it just because it’s there. Oh well it could have been worse and PG-13 and then there would have been a uproar but as for remakes it’s one of the better ones out there in my opinion.
Joe could you not post the final score before the video? Every time im going to watch a video im forced to spoil the final score not on purpose which is kinda lame. Try to get this fixed by simply put him all the way down! cheers, keep the great job
I love your review on GI Joe rise of cobra but i’m gonna have to disagree with on this movie because I liked it. I do agree all the actors(the 20 year old actors and actresses) was kinda blah but I loved Jackie as Freddy Krueger.
Lets face it the original was awesome and the remake can’t top that. I do feel that most reviewers like you and others can’t help but compare it the original and except way more out of it then it was. I do like how that added scenes from the original and limited it and added there own little twist to it because if they did scene by scene like the original it would have annoyed me.
The cgi effects where average for me and I didn’t hate them as much as most. I dig this darker Freddy though granted I would have him still as Child Killer on top pedophile to make him that much more menacing then he was. I do agree he should have had little more charm like the first but a little because we would end up with NOES part 4-6(love those movies btw) clown Freddy(which I liked as well too) and that wouldn’t work if they’re remaking the original. I love me some one-liners and thought he could have a had few more not too much just enough not to annoy the audience.
I didn’t find as many jump scenes as you did but I do agree they over used them in today’s horror movies but then again it’s hard to scare today’s audience.
Oh my god…I’m ashamed to admit it, but…I really threw myself back a little bit when the you did the final “BLAH!”…I know, it should know your style and should’ve been prepared, but…I wasn’t. DAMN.
So true they always tend to fuck up the old classic horror movies….Hollywood never learns.
BTW Joe, u look awesome with that beard!
Going to wait to come out on video to rent it. Like that Jason outer space thing.
i knew this was going to suck.
Haven’t seen the movie yet (and after your review i’m not that much looking forward to see it…) but it’s too bad if they really f**ked up the franchise so much…
In my opinion i think the good ol Freddy will never ever be replaced by anyone… *BLAAAAH!!!* … i mean he was so BADASS, the original movies were so freakin frightening and so tortured they made me sh*t my pants so many times. And the old Freddys were so epic that i remember almost perfectly each one of them.
And now what is that ? *BLAAAH!!!* Jeez the first thing i thought when i saw the face of this new freddy was: “damn wtf did they do to his face ?” he looks so horrible, in a bad way, now with this hideous face. and why would they make Nancy appear at the middle of the movie ?
ah well whatever it’s just too bad for the franchise and the fans, and here i was really happy to see a new Freddy coming… *BLAAAH!!!* … i guess i’m just gonna wait now and hope that the new “Predators” movie won’t be as shitty as this remake oh god please don’t… DON’T YOU FUCK THAT UP TOO OK ?!?!? NEVER!!!… *BLAAAH!!!* …
*This message was sponsored by JumpScares Inc.*
Oh and btw that beard really looks awesome on you Joe, even better than just having the Powah’Stache, it makes you look even more angrrrry and so much more BADASS.
I have to say this but fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk that movic is a big ball of shit it so bad that we got to get this movic put in the Desert grond and and shit on it. it so bad they got to stop the remakes like this one and i do no like the jump seens it the same in all the new remakes like this one. movic like this has gone down hill and i hate it.
We need joe to send his army of fans to kick there ass.
I give up hollywood has raped my favourite movie of all time i give up . I died inside
stupid cash cow milking hollywood assholes
I was surprised when Joe sided with Transformers 2, given the plethora of negative reviews. While I haven’t seen Transformers 2, Roger Ebert wrote that if you were to bring a 12 year old and have him bang pots and pans about in the kitchen you would essentially have the same experience.
I just saw this new Nightmare tonight with my girlfriend and a few other friends. I am VERY forgiving when it comes to movies, and I don’t tend to look at things critically. Suffice it to say, I was not scared by this movie. I thought that maybe I’ve been growing jaded, but after reading all the reviews I realize that no, this movie is simply not a scary movie. I usually react to movies on a visceral level of emotion. I felt no emotion for the characters, no emotion for the scares…
I left this movie feeling nothing… Even though I saw it a few hours ago, it is already start to fade from my memory. There is very little to walk away with from this movie.
Did you say Jackie Earle HaRley?
the sad truth of Hollywood, all good movies will be remade in the time span of a decade after it’s release and be remade solely for the purpose of money and not entertainment which means that they will suck and this film is a prime example of that
what about the new Halloween movies?
I’m sorry Joe, I wanted something better out of this too. I haven’t seen it yet but I am planning too just to review it. Although I am going with a friend of mine and the only reason she is dying to this is because of how laughably bad the Friday the 13th movie was. Your right though this is a total cash in from a lazy company that dosnt really have an inspired idea in their head so far. I love the Nightmare movies too man and Freddy is one of my favorite villains and I”m glad though that you pointed out Jackie for his good portrail, I haven’t seen it but I heard he was the only good thing in the movie. Listen what you have to tell us though man is. Is this worse or better in your opinion then the worst movie in the franchise, Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge?
yes hellraiser and childs play are going to be remade.
Woo! thank you for doing this review. you are always awesome.
As for this movie….uuuuuggghhhh…
I HATE jump scares. Horror movies started going down hill for me once they started adding those in. It adds nothing for the movie other then making half the audince shit and/or piss themselves. It dosen’t build up the fear needed in a horror movie. Honestly if they could take out the jump scares and just make a movie where it just acts on your fear then I would be happy again. I LOVED the old Freddy, he was just so kick ass and awesome that even though you where glad the kids found a way to stop him, you kinda wanted him to win too (Bratty kids, this’ll show them!)
I would go running back to horror if they just took out the over abundant jump scares…
The Friday the 13th remake was OK. Sure, not great, but it was better than Jason goes to Hell. And it was far superior to the Halloween remake.
great review and your completely right. BTw do you think the friday the 13th remake can be called a remake as Jason was the killer and not his mum? Anyway thats besides the point. I was going to go and see this, but from the sounds of it, it would ruin the original for me; sort of like Kingdom of the Crystal skull did.
I don’t if you know but I heard that they are going to remake The Ring and it’s going to be in 3D
It’s not going to be a remake; just another sequel.
oh thank God …….. but still 3D that can’t be good
what do you expect from micheal bay douche bag supreme and pyro and now jump scare whore……………..BOOOOOOOOOOO.
OH MY GOD bay has had his hands in all the horror reboots Texas chainsaw, Friday the 13, Elm street, Amityville my god the man has to be stopped
i liked the newer haloween
Nice “BLAH!” at the end; that one actually DID make me jump!
About the Na’vi face thing, I agree with the reviewers at Spill.com; they said that his face looked like a burnt lion’s.
I may not be a fan of this franchise or, indeed, any horror franchise, but I agree with your position regardless. It really sucks to have something you love so much and have it remade in a crappy way. I’m lucky that way; the few remakes of things I love have only had a handful of minor disappointments.
BTW, I liked the fact you were talking about Aliens without Ripley is bad and less engaging. What’s your thoughts on the two Alien prequels by Ridley Scott that will not have Ripley at all?
(Sorry if this happens to be a double post)
OMG! You used my tweet line! SHAVING DENIED!
Go Joe!
Nice “BLAHHHH” at the end xD
At least where you live movie tickets aren’t $17. -_-
The beard look, looks good on you, by the way. ^_^
it’s sad when Splice, which has B-Movie written all over it, looks about 100x”s better than this A-list horror.
truthfully, I liked Jackie, and Joe’s right, its unfair to compare him Robert Englund, and all things conisdered how this movie and everything about it just worked against Jackie so hard, he did an amazing job. It doesn’t save the movie, at all, but he did a good job.
But yes, sooooo bad. jump scares left and right, a boring cast of characters that I’m not sure we’re supposed to like, and a toothless (figuratively) Freddy.
Well, maybe if we are lucky, Bay and platinum dunes will leave Hellraiser and Chucky alone once this tanks. Have some of our childhood survive.
Also, one last thing. Dream Warriors rules! best of the series imo
Kinda had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right with this movie , I remember the older ones where freddy always had his gags with his victums in his twisted sense of dark humor but thanks to micheal bay he just lazily slap together this movie with footnotes of all of the movies and didn’t pay attention to the details
Without Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay is shit if not worse, the Movie Transformers was kind of because Steven was there but now they left this piece of shit to direct the movie, the results were more than obvious. Theme of the story. “Never Never Evar let Michael remake another movie, and the same shit goes for Robert Rodriguez if u fuck up the Predators Movie i’m going to rape u”.
But, really, what did you expect from Michael Bay?
As soon as I saw he was directing during the trailers, I knew it would suck, which is a damn shame.
He wasn’t directing, just producing. As far as the story, the direction, all that stuff, he played basically no part. I mean, I guess he could have pulled rank to have some things changed, but I doubt he’s responible for anything major.
• Jackie Earle Haley is an excellent successor to Robert Englund as Freddy.
NO! HELL NO! Sorry joe, I’m a HUGE fan of freddy and …nothing can replace the old.
–No he does NOT bring more evil to it at all. He is not intimidating. There is nothing scary about it. I want to fucking bitch slap him. “He looks like when you sit in the bathtub too long.” -kenny. Even not comparing him to the old one… he just teleports around and slashes at people. The script is terrible, which isnt his fault and yes he TRIES.. but that is NOT enough.
Also, he was always an EVIL man, he liked lil kids. But thats another reason why it made him so creepy.
Agree with your character thoughts and jump scares.
and hey… he even does go BOO in the movie.
NO DREAD! You are right about it.
Splice looks interesting. better than this piece of shit.
IM SO ANGRY ABOUT THIS! A piece of my soul has died watching this movie. I love freddy.. he has always been so amazing to me… but…. I WILL DESTROY SAMUEL BAYER! (Join me? I think he needs to be taught a real lesson in terror.)
Oh, you look sexy btw. I wanna touch your rough and tough face. Mmmm, yummy.
Okay, so the movie has a lot of shock scares and almost all of them got. Whoop Dee Doo, the movie did to me what toast does in the morning.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for getting that Nancy is a character that they absolutely had to get right if this movie was going to be remotely respected. Obviously, they failed. The point of a horror movie is to make the viewer frightened for the victim, and in order to do that, you need to be able to see yourself in the character. While Freddy is an absolutely genius creation, he’s still the VILLAIN of the piece. You’re supposed to cheer for Nancy, and I think that audience identification with the protagonist is something that no modern horror film has managed to get right.
I haven’t seen the remake yet, but I’m going tomorrow night and doing a podcast about it Sunday. Can’t wait to get my fangirl rage on!
I have not seen the remake, but the originals made me crap my pants
and the actor who plays Freddie also played Rorschach… the only thing I liked about the movie The Watchmen was Rorschach…I am so sad, I kinda looked forward to this movie