A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
I suspect most hardcore fans of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise will find this off-putting sequel disappointing. Its rules and tone deviate heavily from the formula, which is exactly why it will find its audience. Freddy's Revenge takes the idea of dreams in a new direction and when we get that inevitable reboot of the franchise, I hope some of the ideas used here are brought back.
Set several years after Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) was defeated, a new family has moved into the Thompsons’ home. After waking up from horrifying one horrifying nightmare, teenaged Jesse (Mark Patton) finds that he's been acting out his subconscious desires in his sleep – all part of Freddy’s plan to return to our world.
There are numerous ways to interpret the idea of dreams/sleep being dangerous. This is a clever take on the idea. Can you imagine feeling resentful towards the people around you and waking up to find one of them dead? Who would be the prime suspect? How about discovering that a feeling previously only residing in the deepest recesses of your psyche has now been exposed for all to see? That's ripe material for a horror movie - one we haven't seen before. Combined with solid special effects, heaped onto some body-horror (there are some great scenes where Jesse’s form morphs to have Freddy-like characteristics) and I say this picture is underrated. Instead of being a repeat of the first film with a group of teenagers once again deciphering the mystery behind Freddy Krueger’s powers, it’s a completely different plot.
Helping give this picture a distinct identity is its unmissable homoerotic subtext. Your teenage years are a defining time. It's when you discover things about yourself you probably never suspected. Your hormones are going wild, you hardly feel like you’re in control of your body, you're frustrated because it's as if no one understands you or what you're going through. All these sentiments are amplified here. Someone confused about their sexuality - like Jesse clearly is - would be susceptible to a supernatural assault from an undead serial killer. Compare the scenes with his girlfriend Lisa (Kim Myers) and the ones with his classmate Ron (Robert Rusler). The subtext gives it terrific re-watch value as you try and prove your theories about the plot.
Even at the end, when Jesse defeats Freddy and gets the girl... the evil lives on. His true desires are unfulfilled,. It's only a matter of time before the monster re-emerges.
Everything Freddy’s Revenge does to differentiate itself from the first film is what makes it good. When it re-iterates the familiar (such as during the very last shots) is when you’ll feel restless. There are also some missed opportunities by the fact that we don’t really learn WHY Freddy is after Jesse, or what has brought on this change in his abilities. These make this a sequel that’s not as good as the first, but nonetheless enjoyable. (On Blu-ray, January 13, 2017)
