‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’: ‘Freddy’s Dead’ Doesn’t Come Alive Much

Franchise Friday begins having nightmares as 1428 Elm takes a look at the sixth ‘Elm Street’ film, 1991’s ‘Freddy’s Dead.’ Welcome back Dreamers.

Rachel Talalay’s ‘Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare’ – Courtesy of New Line Cinema

THE PLOT:

When the last “Elm Street” kids—yeah the series is running that bit again—are sent by Freddy to retrieve the daughter of the dream demon, it looks like Freddy may have finally beat Springwood at its own game. Only the messenger has amnesia, and it’s going to take more than a little convincing for Freddy to have the family reunion he’s always dreamed of. With his daughter hot on his trail, along with a band of shelter kids, Freddy must pull out all the stops to get what he wants. Being a dad can be tough, getting your kids to like you is sometimes the hardest thing of all. Welcome to Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.

THE INTRO:

I’ve always had a strange fondness for Freddy’s Dead. While I ultimately hated the film, I recall watching it numerous times and having a pretty good time. But I didn’t watch it then like I review film today—with a keen eye and unrelenting tenacity.

Now that we’re in the last half of Nightmare’s Franchise Friday, it’s time to sit down and re-watch the sixth A Nightmare on Elm Street . Sadly, it’s nowhere near as fun as I remember. Man, growing up is a nightmare.

So let’s all get a little amnesia, track down our biological parents and break out of an adolescent shelter as I review Rachel Talay’s uninspiring sequel, 1991’s Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.

THE REVIEW:

Rachel Talalay’s ‘Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare’ One Sheet – Courtesy of New Line Cinema

THE ACTING:

The Freddy’s Dead performances are passable—for a sequel as bad as this. It’s not as if the lines and situations given are up to par with anything logical or interesting. Again, Freddy’s Dead sucks (more negativity to come).

Shon Greenblat stars as John Doe. He’s not terribly great in the film but certainly not the worst I’ve seen. While he’s not entirely unnatural, he does come off wooden and nervous at times. And unfortunately, he’s working with a stale script.

They saved the best for last.- Tag

Then there’s little Ms. Krueger herself. Starring as Maggie, Lisa Zane is trying to squeeze any hint of quality she can here. Zane’s obviously a strong actress, and she’s good in the film, but her character is essentially tossed out in favor of Freddy’s story. Even though she’s a massive part of the villain’s arch, it still feels throwaway. I feel bad for her honestly. She’s beautifully talented and honestly better than this crap.

But it’s Lezlie Deane who steals the show. In what’s usually be a forgettable minor character, the actress nails the attitude and insecurities of Tracy. Deane’s impressive in the film and what she manages to do with a script that’s seemingly by a five-year-old. Too bad Freddy’s Dead is crap, because it would be a performance worth putting on a resume otherwise.