Given that the original A Nightmare on Elm Street was a global critical and financial success, it came as no surprise when New Line Cinema greenlit a sequel for production. This film had a remarkably short production cycle, releasing in theaters in early November 1985, less than a year after the original film was released. The quick production, coupled with Wes Craven’s absence, resulted in a movie with a much different feel from the original. So, let’s dive into A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge…

                Freddy’s Revenge was directed by Jack Sholder and written by David Haskin. The score was produced by Christopher Young. The film starred Mark Patton, Kim Meyers, and a returning Robert Englund. As the title suggests, Freddy wasn’t satisfied with the terror he inflicted last time, and he is back to torment Elm Street again. But he seems especially interested in tormenting a young teenage boy named Jesse, who has coincidentally moved into Nancy’s old house (Nancy was the protagonist of the last film). By the way, if you’re expecting any answers on what happened to her, don’t get too excited, because you won’t have the answer until the next movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors…

                The plot of Freddy’s Revenge plays out differently than the original, in which Freddy creeps into the dreams of the children living on Elm Street, where he then kills them. In Freddy’s Revenge, however, Freddy focuses all of his efforts on tormenting Jesse for the sake of possessing his body. True, he does kill along the way, but converting Jesse is his priority.

                When it comes to performances, the highlights of the film are Mark Patton and Robert Englund as Jesse Walsh and Freddy Krueger respectively. Freddy is still a very unsettling character who masterfully pushes the young Jesse closer and closer towards insanity. Patton excellently portrays a young man who is surely losing his grip on reality as his control slips from his hands and into Freddy’s.

                Jacques Haitkin returned from A Nightmare on Elm Street to do the sequel’s cinematography. While I don’t think the cinematography is as good as it was in the original, the shots are still composed very well and have the same dream-like quality to them. The score is largely atmospheric and doesn’t leave much of an impact, with the exception of the closing vocal tracks, such as Have You Ever Seen a Dream Walking by Bing Crosby.

                Freddy’s Revenge has also sparked some discussion for apparent homoerotic subtext. Some people could have an hour-long roundtable discussion about the supposed subtext, but that isn’t what we’re here for. Actor Mark Patton has gone on record about the role of Jesse and the production of Freddy’s Revenge to discuss the film’s perceived undertones and subtext. It is there for analysis if you wish to explore further, but the film has enough to discuss without going into it.

                Freddy’s Revenge makes heavier use of effects than its predecessor, particularly in prosthetic make-up. Make-up is obviously used on Englund to turn him into Freddy. An interesting note: production floated an idea around early on to have Freddy played by an extra instead of bringing Englund back into production. However, that idea was struck down after one scene of filming when production realized that Englund made the role his own. This would mark the last time they would attempt to recast Englund, at least until the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

                Freddy’s Revenge grossed $30 million against a budget of $3 million. The film was a financial success, but not to the degree that the original was. The film also had a mixed critical reception. The general consensus was that the film wasn’t the original by any measure, but that it still had valuable attributes. As time has passed, the film has become a cult classic for Elm Street fans.                

Oftentimes, long-running franchises are afraid of trying something new for fear that they won’t find a profitable market. However, Freddy’s Revenge tries to be different than its original film, and it is for that reason I’m recommending this movie. It is important for films to be bold enough to experiment; otherwise, the market would be saturated with derivative projects. I’ve even partnered with Amazon to bring you a specialized purchase link for Freddy’s Revenge. If you’re a fan of horror movies that attempt to push the envelope, then you more than likely will enjoy what Freddy’s Revenge has to offer!