A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

95% Tomatometer 58 Reviews 84% Audience Score 250,000+ Ratings In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late? Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

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A Nightmare on Elm Street

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Critics Consensus

Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.

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Critics Reviews

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A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com Great build-up, the suspense and apprehension, getting you invested in a sequence...this movie has that. Rated: A Nov 2, 2018 Full Review A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Paul Attanasio Washington Post The script is consistently witty, the camera work (by cinematographer Jacques Haitkin) crisp and expressive. Jan 2, 2018 Full Review A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (3) David Jenkins Little White Lies A smart, streamlined slasher with plenty under the bonnet. Rated: 4/5 Oct 31, 2013 Full Review A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Craven employs some startling horror setups and knows how to make his audience jump Rated: 3/4 Aug 18, 2023 Full Review A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (5) J.A. Conner Santa Cruz Sentinel Craven treats us to a garish visual trip into the dark side of dreamland. Mar 24, 2023 Full Review A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Rachel Wagner rachelsreviews.net There is something chilling about being haunted through your dreams- a space you have no control of and can only put off for so long. Rated: 9/10 Oct 20, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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CCgothgirl it's Freddy! I love him! So glad my buddies invited me. It was very random. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/05/23 Full Review Charlie I enjoyed my visit to the theater to watch this classic movie. The price for the movie was very reasonable because if it was the same price as the New movies then I would just go see a new movie and stream the classic at home. And I also appreciated that there was previews B4 the movie and it didnt just start at the exact time so I had time to hit the snack bar. Maybe it could be more Fun if there was previews from that time period just to make it more authentic or the previews of the up coming classic movies that will be shown. But thank you so much for the new memories with old friends. We already booked tickets to see another classic movie Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/18/23 Full Review adelmar E wouldn't let me wear my Freddy costume. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/06/23 Full Review Jnatan P To say the least, this is a cult classic. The film introduces one of the most iconic and memorable horror characters of all time: Freddy Krueger, a disfigured man with a bladed glove who haunts the dreams of his victims—I mean who could of asked for a bigger asshole than that? The film explores the idea of nightmares as a realm where anything can happen and where death is permanent, like what in the actual f? Like you would think a striped shirt serial killing disheveled Freddy Kreuger is not scary enough? I love my sleep, just the idea of not looking forward to sleeping anymore is a nightmare in of itself. The film also plays with the audiences perception of reality and fantasy, blurring the lines between the two and creating a sense of dread and uncertainty. The film features some impressive special fx and makeup for its time, yo fam the scene where Freddys face stretches through the wall or the scene where Tinas body is dragged across the ceiling had me shook dawg. The film also has some memorable and quotable lines, such as "One, two, Freddys coming for you" or "Whatever you do, dont fall asleep" like Wes Craven needs to chill bro Overall, youre going to see some nostalgically meme-worthy flaws, such as some cheesy acting and dialogue Tinas boyfriend when he says, why are you looking at me like Imm some sort of fruitcake? Like Bro you have your shirt off half way through the movie, sexuality is a spectrum. A Nightmare on Elm Street is a horror masterpiece that deserves its status as one of the greatest horror films ever made. It is a must-see for any horror fan or anyone who enjoys a good scare. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/13/23 Full Review Dusty P. Always love watching this horror classic! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/22 Full Review Global G I understand the nostalgia surrounding this film, but it really is a mediocre movie. The premise, the acting… mainly the acting. Bad. Just trolling it to tame the misleading score. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews

A Nightmare on Elm Street

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Cast & Crew

Wes Craven Director John Saxon Lt. Thompson Ronee Blakley Marge Thompson Heather Langenkamp Nancy Thompson Amanda Wyss Tina Grey Johnny Depp Glen Lantz
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Movie Info

Synopsis In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

Director
Wes Craven

Producer
Robert Shaye

Screenwriter
Wes Craven

Distributor
Media Home Entertainment, New Line Cinema, New Line Home Video [us], Image Entertainment Inc., Anchor Bay Entertainment

Production Co
New Line Cinema

Rating
R

Genre
Horror

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 9, 1984, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA)
$57.3M

Runtime
1h 31m

Sound Mix
Mono
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A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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