Since U Didn't Axe Me: "A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" (1988) Review

Directed by Renny Harlin and written by William Kotzwinkle, Brian Helgaland, and the Wheat brothers, "A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" catches back up with Kristen from the previous film, now played by Tuesday Knight. Kristen and her friends Kincaid (Ken Sagoes) and Joey (Rodney Eastman) are still haunted by Freddy Krueger, and Kristen fears he's going to return stronger than ever.

The audience is introduced to new characters Andras Jones (Rick), who is Kristen's boyfriend, and Alice (Lisa Wilcox) who is Rick's sister. Rick is annoyed by Kristen's stories about Fred Krueger until people start dying, and by then it's too late for the Elm Street kids.

Alice, and her school friends, Dan (Danny Haskel), Sheila (Toy Newkirk), and Debbie (Brooke Theiss) team up to figure out how Freddy is able to hunt teens who are not connected to Elm Street. Moreover, they must find a way to stop Freddy before his dreamscape killing spree spreads any farther.

"A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" is the "Nightmare" film that I've seen the most times. It's a film that I think is rather difficult for me to review because it took me a long time to decide if I enjoyed it as a follow-up to "Nightmare 3."

"The Dream Master" has the daunting task of being the successor to "Dream Warriors," a sequel that propelled "A Nightmare on Elm Street" into pop culture and made Freddy Krueger a household name. Furthermore, it has to develop and expand upon the characters of "Nightmare 3" while introducing the viewer to new heroes along the way. Lastly, there was a writer's strike happening at the time the script was being developed, too. This makes the plot sometimes feel disjointed and confusing. I don't think "The Dream Master" is a perfect sequel, but I do think that it succeeds on many fronts.

The first thing "Nightmare 4" hits out of the park is the effects. This sequel is by far the most visually spectacular, and the dream sequences are very surreal. There are many times in "The Dream Master" when I can't tell if Alice is awake or asleep, but nonetheless, I am treated to disorienting and imaginative visuals along the way.

Robert Englund's Freddy makeup got an upgrade, and he completely runs the show in "The Dream Master." In fact, this is the first "Nightmare" film where he receives top billing.

Lisa Wilcox's performance as Alice stands out, and her character's transformation from insecure, shy girl to kickass hero chick is really cool to see. Alice is a much stronger female character than Patricia Arquette and Tuesday Knight's Kristen--I'd even wager that she beats Nancy from the original "Nightmare."

Her final bout against Freddy ramps up the excitement and action, and highlights "The Dream Master" as one of the better "Nightmare" sequels. The last act of the film pushes the surrealism and fun to the next level, and it's very rewarding.

"A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" is a colorful, dizzying, and kinetic follow-up to "Dream Warriors" that any 80s horror buff will enjoy.

The Good-