The F*ckin Black Sheep: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

THE BLACK SHEEP is an ongoing column featuring different takes on films that either the writer HATED, but that the majority of film fans LOVED, or that the writer LOVED, but that most others LOATH. We’re hoping this column will promote constructive and geek fueled discussion. Dig in!

A Nightmare of Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Directed by Jack Sholder

“ I dig that ELM STREET 2 isn’t just a lazy copy of the original.”

So we all know that sequels are a funny business. Rarely has one been produced because the filmmakers truly had a shit ton of story still to tell. Eh… it’s more like they had this thing that made some cash, and everyone involved needed and wanted more cash. Can’t blame them. Everyone has to make a buck. And in the horror world, if a movie makes coin, by god the producers need to make another one stat.

However, that doesn’t mean everyone agrees. While the late great Wes Craven was not immune to sequels as HILLS HAVE EYES and SCREAM proved, he reportedly never envisioned that the world needed more A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Or a franchise. He had told his story and refused involvement in the inevitable sequel.

Maybe it’s just as well as A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE doesn’t really bother with the original as it attempts a near immediate reboot (a modern term for a new angle), ditching Heather Langenkamp’s Nancy and going with Mark Patton’s Jesse instead. Even though it was released just a year after the original Craven film, ELM STREET 2 takes place five years after the original as a new family moves into Nancy’s old house where really bad things happened, leaving Jesse to find her diary. So basically, the writers attempted to create significance for the house and not the street, which is silly when considering the title and all.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE could be the most unique of the so far nine part Fred (as he’s called here) Krueger saga. He’s barely in the thing and he lacks that witty Freddy personality. We have no female lead for once and our male lead ends up as Freddy. What? Well, Freddy doesn’t kill in dreams here. Instead, he tries to inhabit Jesse’s body in order to slice up as many folks as he can. Ok…yes, that isn’t how the rest of the franchise ends up, but I dig that ELM STREET 2 isn’t just a lazy copy of the original. It has its own story to tell and director Jack Sholder at least tried to create something different.

It is worth noting that when production actually started without Robert Englund in the role. Apparently, they figured that much like other horror franchises…the killer is replaceable, but as they (and the 2010 reboot) found out that A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET ain’t shit without Mr. Englund. It’s his role, and even though he only makes a few appearances and isn’t as chatty as he usually is, Freddy can only be Englund.

ELM STREET 2 does lack humor, which I don’t mind as the later movies only slapped more camp on as the franchise continued. With that said, some unintentional humor slipped in as it’s…uh… embarrassing watching the evil dream master Fred Krueger is a bit of a wimp. While Mike Myers and Jason at least have to take some nasty blows to alter their course, Freddy gets pushed too easily. Sure, he still manages to slash through plenty of teenage males, but at one point Jesse’s girl Lisa (Kim Myers) escapes murder by…throwing a lacey blanket and a lamp at his head. It’s almost a scene meant for NAKED GUN. Later, when he attacks a pool party he doesn’t start by slicing up folks, but decides to ruin the party by knocking over some plastic tables and chairs.

The gore isn’t strong, the effects aren’t too fancy (all effects seemed saved until the end), and the movie made a mistake by not keeping Freddy in dreamland. He needs to be free and nutty, delivering bad puns and helping to reduce the teenage population. Is A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE better than the one with young Johnny Depp? Uh…no. But that doesn’t limit the entertainment factor. It is still an ELM STREET flick and it’s not a lazy one. It's just different, and that's fine by me.

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