Review – A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

The first Nightmare on Elm Street was a low budget, surreal shocker. The classic slasher film would spawn many sequels, a television series (“Freddy’s Nightmares”, 1988), pop songs (“Nightmare on My Street”, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince) and would launch the careers of actors like Johnny Depp, Patricia Arquette along with directors Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, The Covenant) and Stephen Hopkins (Ghost and the Darkness and The Reaping). Writer and director Wes Craven would redefine the horror genre much like he did years previous with Last House on the Left. The idea of a killer murdering his victims in their sleep would turn the industry on its ear.

With the recent wave of 80′s film remakes, especially horror films, it was only a matter of time before the antihero Freddy Krueger would be resurrected to slash his way into teen’s dreams once again. The 2010 updated version lackes the soul and fun of the original. Director Samuel Bayer, known for directing music videos for Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins, has some pretty big shoes to fit.  He achieved a few visceral scenes but the remake script falls flat with its slow pacing and holes in plot and logic.

The movie is not without some bright spots. Jackie Earle Haley makes a creepy Freddy Krueger. He slips into the character like a glove. Even though Robert Englund will always be the real Freddy. (I was shocked as a kid to know that Freddy was the nice alien from “V”.) Now the new generation will realie that the new Freddy is also Rorschach from Watchmen. Another postivie is that the cast is attractive. But it’s a bummer when one of the prettiest girls is bumped off early in the film.

Thomas Dekker

You have to wonder how many times Tom Dekker hears “come with me if you want to live.” The blessing and curse I supposed playing the iconic John Connor on the short-lived FOX show “The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” Well from one icon to another, now Tom is going to be in the remake of the 80’s horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street (the original co-starred a young unknown actor by the name of Johnny Depp). So now he’ll start hearing: “whatever you do don’t fall asleep.” Honestly I don’t think this guy is going to have much time to sleep considering all he’s got lined up.

Tom started off as a child actor doing mostly TV shows and providing voices for animated projects like The Land Before Time and American Tail lesser known sequels. Bet you didn’t know that, huh? As he matured so did the work. Guest spots on “House” and “CSI” lead to a part on the premiere season (and most would say, the best season) of “Heroes”. Tom played Zach, the Cheerleader Claire’s best friend and social misfit. As the season drew to a close the fate of Zach was uncertain but Tom fans in the know took comfort in the knowledge that Tom was moving on to bigger and better things, namely an exciting new series about cyborgs and the savior of the human race.

Making a weekly show about the mother of all mothers, Sarah Connor was unexpected but inspired. From the butt-kicking pilot to the jaw-dropping “finale” the cast of Lena Heady, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green (yes, David Silver!) and Dekker delivered a mini-movie each week. Tom’s John Connor was a mix of teenage angst and Cassandra-like prophecy of a dire future we seem fated to live. But the less than stellar ratings for the show caused its own Judgment Day and after 2 seasons “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” was canceled. The video below was Tom’s (adorable) attempt at getting fans to save the show. Even though it didn’t work it’s still fun to watch.

Tom has made the transition into feature films which started with the tear-jerker My Sister’s Keeper. Seriously though don’t rent that one unless you’re prepared to just bawl your eyes out. He even wrote and directed a film sensationally entitled Whore. There’s no DVD release date for that yet. As I mentioned Tom is in the update of A Nightmare on Elm Street with Jackie Earle Haley as the be-sweatered Freddie Krueger. This re-imagining promises to be as scary as the original with a cast of up and coming who’s who: Kellan Lutz (Twilight), Katie Cassidy (the new “Melrose Place” and “Supernatural”) and Kyle Gallner (A Haunting in Connecticut and Jennifer’s Body). Tom fits in nicely there I think.

I can’t wrap up a profile on Tom without mentioning his passion for music. Growing up in a musical household, Dekker started writing his own music as a teen. He calls his mixing of classical and electronica as “electrofolk”. His debut album Psyanotic was released in 2008 and is available on iTunes. Be sure to check out his MySpace page to hear some samples of the tracks.

Thomas on Twitter
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Official Sites:
A Nightmare on Elm Street

Fansites:
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