All 9 A Nightmare on Elm Street Movies, Ranked from Lackluster to Freddy Krueger Supremacy
His reign of terror was legendary.
Fall is an important season for all Freddy Krueger fans. In November 1984 – 39 years ago – the very first installment of the legendary horror franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street was released.
Since that time, so many sequels and reboots have been released that it's impossible to figure them out without a guide. That's why we've ranked all the movies from worst to best, so you can watch only the most prominent ones.
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
The remake of the cult horror movie turned out to be quite bland, despite the fact that the creators obviously did not have as limited a budget as Wes Craven once had.
Unlike the original, the new version offers very few visually interesting moments, and the concept of a maniac stalking his victims in dreams seems very lackluster in this particular movie.
8. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
The sequel is traditionally considered the weakest movie of the classic series. Its main problem was the basic idea – Freddy wanted to take over the body of the main character Jesse in order to return to the real world. Considering that in his dreams Krueger clearly had more opportunities to kill teenagers, such a desire seemed rather strange.
It was not well-received by the critics, who tore the sequel to pieces, which, however, did not prevent the film from collecting a decent box office.
7. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
This crossover definitely deserves the attention of Freddy fans. Its script uses the main schtick of the madman, his ability to kill people in their sleep, very competently.
The movie is rather simple, dynamic, without the slightest touch of seriousness, but with a lot of murders, fights and chases. This is where Freddy Krueger's dark humor is at its best.
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989)
The fifth installment of the franchise was actually no worse than its predecessors, but it had one significant drawback for a slasher movie: too few deaths.
The plot involving the main character's child, who Krueger uses to invade people's dreams, and the over-the-top drama make this chapter not the most outstanding one in the Elm Street history.
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)
After the second installment was panned by critics, Wes Craven realized that there was only one way to continue the story of Freddy Krueger – doing it himself.
Craven's return to the franchise helped – the threequel, made on almost the same budget as Freddy's Revenge, grossed significantly more money at the box office and was warmly received by critics.
4. Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
The sixth movie has its own charm, and a considerable part of it lies in the atmosphere of growing absurdity that increasingly surrounds the characters who find themselves in Krueger's hometown.
Many fans remember this installment by Johnny Depp 's cameo and subsequent murder in the video game, where Freddy uses the joystick attached to his famous bladed glove.
3. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
It’s the most commercially successful movie in the franchise, and in some ways the peak of the whole story, where Freddy Krueger finally becomes the main star.
Take the charisma of Robert Englund and a simple but highly original plot about lucid dreaming, and you have a slasher cult classic.
2. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
The plot of the seventh installment focuses on the story of actress Heather, whose son is being stalked by a monster from the famous Elm Street horror movie.
Craven goes back to his roots, turning Freddy Krueger into a supernatural monster rather than a dark but kind of funny madman. As a result, there are few kills, but plenty of suspense and, as always, impressive special effects.
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Like John Carpenter’s Halloween, the very first A Nightmare on Elm Street became the quintessential slasher film, and director Wes Craven became an instant horror star.
The movie left an indelible mark on pop culture thanks to the charm of Robert Englund and a simple but highly entertaining script.
