A Nightmare on Elm Street
Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
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  1. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    88
    A Nightmare on Elm Street is tailor made for those who like their gore leavened with thought-provoking ideas - something that is a rarity in this genre.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Clark Collis
    83
    Some of the effects remain nicely repulsive; Freddy himself comes across as a genuinely nasty piece of work, far removed from his later incarnation.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Gavin Bainbridge
    80
    Turning slumberland into a twisted murderer's den is a masterstroke by Craven, who has brought new blood to a genre that seemed as if it might choke on it's own excesses.
  4. Variety
    Reviewed by: (Staff Not Cretdited)
    80
    A Nightmare on Elm Street is a highly imaginative horror film that provides the requisite shocks to keep fans of the genre happy.
  5. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    80
    Here the idea of sleep as the ultimate threat is still fresh and marvelously insidious, and Craven vitalizes the nightmare sequences with assorted surrealist novelties.
  6. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Vincent Canby
    70
    A Nightmare on Elm Street puts more emphasis on bizarre special effects, which aren't at all bad.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. grandpajoe6191
    8
    The horror may be to shallow for those who expect more, but "A Nightmare on Elm Street" has everything it needs for a movie; horror, creativity, and brutality.… Full Review »
  2. DravenatorLives
    10
    I love every bit of this picture. This is not only a masterpiece of horror cinema, but a masterpiece of indie cinema. Whether you're a budding filmmaker, a horror-freak, or both (I happen to be both), this film is a must-see.… Full Review »
  3. MyComicStyle
    10
    I love this movie, bought the Blu-Ray and it's still amazing. The story's really good, I think. A girl is haunted by nightmares and after a short while she gets killed in a really gruesome way, well, gruesome for the 80's, but still sick. Then the next girl, Nancy, is haunted, like all of her friends, which one by one get killed. Freddy Krueger might just be one of the creepiest guys you'll ever see in a movie. He also has the most awesome weapon, I mean, c'mon, who can beat a glove with knifes as fingers? I am still really impressed with the facial effects of Freddy. That mask put on Robert Englund's face really makes Krueger a believable, as far as a nightmare murderer can be believable.
    So, if you're looking for an awesome horror movie, even if it's old, this one's for you.
    Little advise: Don't watch this before you go to sleep. This movie still freaks me out, even if I watched it like 8 times.

    I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy!
    -Freddy Krueger    … Full Review »
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