Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare [DVD] [1992] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

The most significant aspect of Freddy's Dead is the remarkable insight we get into Freddy's past. The movie drops something of a bombshell on the audience, showing us a part of Freddy's history we never knew before. This plot point doesn't work perfectly (suffering slightly from "what came first – the chicken or the egg" syndrome), but it does work. We also gain insight into Freddy's childhood (Alice Cooper plays his step-father), which was not a particularly happy one. While many a victim of such childhood abuse would now go on Oprah and sob for the cameras, Freddy chose a different path. He didn't want apologies or understanding, he wanted revenge and blood. Personally, I think he made the right choice.

Don't look for any players from past movies, as there is no direct continuity between Elm Street 5 and Freddy's Dead. Here we get to start all over again, in a world where only one Springwood teenager still lives. He tries to run, but he can't hide, and Freddy soon pulls him back where he belongs. Freddy wants a ticket out of town so that he can continue killing on a much larger scale ("Every town has an Elm Street"), and there is only one way out for him. This makes for a strong and attractive storyline, one which is even further enhanced by the film's explanation of the source of Freddy's nightmare powers. Of course, a few kids have to die, and they do so in the most ingenious of ways. Freddy's first appearance in this film is a must-see, and the kills he cooks up are elaborate, comical, and pretty darn satisfying. Fred's almost playful at times, truly delighting in his murderous handiwork. The video game kill sequence takes a good idea a little too far, but I thought the other kills were all very impressive – much different from what has come before, but very satisfying.

Honestly, I find this a much better film than Elm Streets 2, 4, and 5. It's sort of a huge going away party for one of horror's greatest icons. Even Roseanne and Tom Arnold show up to be part of the fun (but, sadly, neither fall victim to our anti-hero). The big 3-D sequence that closes out the film is also great fun and wonderfully different from the "same old same old" endings of past years. I'm not completely satisfied with the method of Freddy's supposed destruction, but Freddy's Dead is basically a celebration of Freddy's unique contribution to the horror genre. I'm still not sure why the studio set out to end Freddy's reign of terror for good, though. A lot of experts seem to think that fans love to hate Freddy, so a desire to see him given a decent send-off might fit well into such modes of thought. There are plenty of us, though, who not only love Freddy but actively root him on. For us, Freddy's death was a hard pill to swallow; thankfully, Wes Craven returned home in the nick of time to save Freddy from a premature "death," giving him the chance to soar to even greater heights in Wes Craven's New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason.