Here we have a very capable remake. The story is ever so slightly different, with modern updates obviously but also a bit more of a connection made between Freddy's teen victims and the small children he may have once abused.
I quaked with eager anticipation at what Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in Watchmen) would bring to this iconic role, and I was not disappointed. He slips into it like a razor-fingered glove. I especially like this one thing he does, twitching two fingers together, scraping the blades. It's subtle, but unnerving. And I love the new make-up job. Freddy finally looks like a real burn victim! There's really no need to mention the other characters/actors. They're done well enough, but ultimately they're just teen scream stock.
One excellent touch is the use of "All I Have to Do is Dream" by the Everly Brothers. Don't know why slow 50's pop songs can be so creepy, but they can, and this one adds excellent atmosphere. For the most part the visual effects work, though there is one moment that flashes CGI like a neon sign, as Freddy presses out of a wall. Funny how this effect looks exactly the same as it did when Peter Jackson did it in The Frighteners way back in 1996. This could easily have been a practical effect, and it would have looked much better. But even with a few digital strings showing, I still greatly enjoyed this one. It certainly ensures that an icon of horror will haunt our dreams for years to come.
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