Horror franchises in the ’80s always reached a point of jumping the shark. Whether sending their character into space, or making them a demented and cursed being that keeps getting resurrected by a batshit crazy cult, franchises always ran themselves dry, to the point where producers just threw their hands in the air and say “fuck it!” Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare was Nightmare on Elm Street’s jumping of the shark. With Robert Englund getting older and the value of the Nightmare films falling, New Line Cinema decided that maybe it was time to end the finger-knife wielding dream killer for good. What better way to end this legendary series of films than the silliest and most over-the-top film of the franchise?
As Freddy’s Dead begins, the world of Springwood is starting to look apocalyptic. Most of the children are now dead, thanks to famed killer Freddy Krueger, and the remaining children are now living in a group home run by a woman who is inexplicably connected to Freddy’s past. Eventually, she makes them team up with her to take Freddy down as he continues his streak of killing and yadda yadda yadda you’ve seen it before. Freddy kills a shit ton of people and a few kids try to stop him! Don’t let the easy-to-follow plot fool you, though. Buried deep in Freddy’s Dead might be the bleakest story this franchise has ever told. I mean, every single kid is now dead because of Freddy. Is this the first post-apocalyptic slasher?!? I think it might be! On top of that, they throw at you Freddy’s abusive father, played by the almighty Alice Cooper. Holy shit!
While Freddy’s Dead does have its incredibly dark moments, it also has some of the brightest, most cartoon-like scenes in the whole franchise. From Freddy pushing a row of spikes on the street below a falling victim like goddamn Wile E. Coyote to the power glove being a tool of murder! Director Rachel Talalay knew this too; the visuals are as visually silly as possible, all the way to making the final confrontation with Freddy in 3-D! Wow! Unfortunately, the creators of this film lied, because, shocker, this wasn’t the final Nightmare! We still got New Nightmare, Freddy vs Jason and a terrible remake, so don’t watch this thinking you’re seeing the last, cause you’re not. Sorry! If you’re new to the franchise, maybe this movie might not quite be for you, but if you love Freddy Krueger and the franchise, Freddy’s Dead is the quintessential Nightmare comedy. “Now I’m playing with power!”
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
1991
dir. Rachel Talalay
89 min
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare is playing this Saturday, February 10th at 11:59 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre!
Part of the ongoing series: Women in Horror Month
