The third installment in the Nightmare On Elm Street series is easily the best in the franchise. Rather than picking up where the second film left off-which is now praised for being one of the most homosexual films of all time (due to the extreme amount of “subtext” in the film, turning a slasher flick into the story of a closeted homosexual)-they completely ignored the events, as not only did many fans not enjoy the less-than-subtle message and the changes in the lore they made.

The film opens with one of our protagonists, Kristen, being attacked by dream-demon Freddy Krueger in her nightmare. He manages to cut her wrist, causing her mother to think she is suicidal. Kristen is admitted to a mental hospital where she meets the other victims of Krueger who have been labeled insane, due to the denial of the parents of Krueger’s existence.  Nancy, the final girl from the original movie to help the children defeat Krueger. Of course, in true slasher flick fashion, they are picked off one-by-one.

What separates this movie from the rest is the connection we develop with the characters. They all have their own distinct personalities, which translate into powers they have in the dream world, making them a true match for Freddy. Even the one character who was silent the majority of the film, gave an excellent performance.

This was arguably the only film that managed to make Freddy scary and witty. A perfect example of this is in one of the most iconic scenes of the franchise, in which one of the characters, an aspiring actress is murdered by the dream-demon. The style in which she is dispatched, however, makes the scene an amazing combination of humor and horror. His head pops out of the TV, which grows robotic arms that pick up the poor survivor. “Here’s your big break in TV, Jennifer. Welcome to Prime-Time b**ch.” The scene is both chilling and yet also slightly humorous, without being over-the-top.

Overall, Dream Warriors is not only a great horror film, but a breath of fresh air for those who still understand the point of horror. The series may have gone on a downwards, comedic, spiral, but this one managed to actually be frightening. An effect that would not have been achieved if the characters hadn’t seemed so realistic.  

Dream Warriors made 8.9 million dollars it’s opening weekend and ended up being the highest-grossing movie of 1987 for New-Line Cinema.