"I've been here before."The current trend of remaking 'classic' modern horror movies serves a function in updating old films for a contemporary audience in a similar way that Hammer studios did with their bold colour remakes of the Universal greats half a century ago. The first Elm Street film came at the end of the first wave of 1980s slashers, giving an interesting slant on the increasingly formulaic genre. An enjoyable modern film is not made by the simple addition of mobile phones and computer graphics, as this workmanlike Elm Street remake amply demonstrates. A generally leaden pace and lack of invention is occasionally lifted by a couple of effective set-pieces - in particular Nancy's attack in the chemist's shifts between reality and dreamworld beautifully - and there are a couple of magnificently staged kills. Overall, however, this 2010 version does lack the Grand Guignol energy of Wes Craven's 1984 original. The unusually effective cast punches way above the limply-written dialogue (notably TV veterans Kellan Lutz and Thomas Dekker), and in an unexpected contrast to the original film, the female roles are very underwritten. Jackie Earle Haley's take on Freddy Krueger makes the character come across as a somewhat weedy paedophile rather than the monster of your nightmares. Steve Jablonsky provides a suitably strong, melodic score, and the often aggressive sound mix keeps the viewer awake. If this is your very first experience of the Elm Street franchise, you may find it mildly engaging; for older fans who have grown up with the movies, it it like listening to tepid cover versions of songs from your favourite album with the tracks in the wrong order.
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