Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Blu-ray Movie Review

Freddy kills best.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 17, 2013

It's a boy!

Most Horror franchises are prone to pretty wild swings in quality; those that last for more than a sequel or three usually start off exceptionally strong and slowly lose steam, maybe dotting the canon with a couple of decent films amidst the fodder and perhaps even delivering a movie up there in quality with the best of the bunch, late in the series and even decades after the original classic's release (think Halloween H20). Wes Craven's brainchild A Nightmare on Elm Street is no different; the series peaked with the first film but came back strong in several sequels, notably the excellent The Dream Master, a film that largely embodies what the franchise is all about and probably the film that best defines it outside of the original. The success of Renny Harlin's picture obviously meant the green-lighting of another film, a film that would have to come up strong if it were to equal -- or best -- The Dream Master. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child isn't up to the task, but it is a solid series entry, an atmospheric and chilling Freddy flick that's frightful and filling, even if it's not first amongst these films (but no, it doesn't get an "F" despite the fun plethora of them).

"I hope that psycho doesn't show up again!"

Alice (Lisa Wilcox), survivor of the events of the previous Nightmare film, is doing her best to recover and move on from her traumatic encounter with Freddy Krueger that left her scared for life and several of her friends dead. She's built a loving relationship with her boyfriend, Dan (Danny Hassel), with whom she is planning a Parisian vacation after graduation. She's met a few new friends, too, notably swim team star Yvonne (Kelly Jo Minter), Comic Book reader Mark (Joe Seely), and Greta (Erika Anderson), a would-be model with an overbearing mother. Alice soon learns that Freddy is back; she sees visions of him in an insane asylum and soon thereafter comes to believe that Freddy can haunt her in the living world. She also learns that she's pregnant. Is there any connection? Can Alice survive another (due) date with Freddy, and do any of her new friends stand chance against the charred maniacal dream killer?

The Dream Child may not be the best film in the series, but it may be the darkest and most disturbing. There's some genuinely crazy and creepy stuff; not to give it away (though the title does to an extent) but some viewers might be turned off by some of the flat-out weird plot points, visual oddities, dark themes, and macabre moments involving children and deformed infants. Nevertheless, The Dream Child is, outside of its fairly gothic, oddball stylings, a straightforward film that in basic structure does what the last film did: it returns a few survivors from the film before it, introduces a handful of new potential teenage victims, and sets them up against Freddy in battles that take place away from the safety and normalcy of the real world and within the wide-open, unpredictable realm of the dream world where anything -- including death in the real world -- can and does happen. In many ways it's prime material for a "yawn" sort of movie, and in some ways it is. The repeated structure doesn't help -- particularly considering the film isn't as well made as Harlin's The Dream Warriors to help mask such shortcomings -- but it does at least capture the series' spirit. Director Stephen Hopkins (Blown Away) does just enough with it to keep the franchise viable until the next entry, and when it comes right down to it, isn't that pretty much all that's really required of the fifth installment of a popular Horror franchise?

Bob Shaye and the good folks at New Line followed a similar path with The Dream Child as they did with The Dream Warriors, hiring an up-and-coming filmmaker to lend his skill behind the camera. Hopkins -- who would go on to crank out a few episodes of TV's 24 while also directing some rather successful big-screen ventures in Predator 2 and Lost in Space -- keeps the Nightmare series in capable hands, delivering a film that's more structured on atmosphere and oddity than it is the slick visuals, the perfect pacing, and the faultless (albeit linear) storytelling of Renny Harlin's film. Nevertheless, the end result is a positive one, a turn to the dark for the series but a welcome and arguably necessary diversion from the straightforward plot that's superficially identical to the last film. The cast is a bit weaker here, too; Lisa Wilcox returns to play Alice and lends some continuity to this string, but the rest of the cast is largely forgettable, in part because the character roster lacks the memorable victims, cast camaraderie, and better-scripted teenagers of the last film. Most here are rather generic nobodies who move the film forward and nothing more.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child doesn't fare quite so well as its predecessor's high definition presentation, but this is no slouch of a catalogue Blu-ray. New Line's 1080p transfer usually looks quite good. Bright daytime scenes and any interiors that are even remotely well lit showcase fine natural details. A light grain overlay creates a handsome film-like texture and the absence of any sort of heavy scrubbing keeps faces, clothes, and various surfaces looking great. Colors are even and natural; purple graduation robes seen early in the film after an outdoor ceremony look absolutely fantastic, some of the nicest color in the series and a good example of this set's quality. Some of the darker scenes do go quite a bit flat and murky, with sloppy details and bland textures. Blacks fluctuate between looking a bit too bright and, on the other hand, exhibiting a touch of crush. Still, the print is clean and the image free of any other major defects, save for a bit of noise in darker scenes. The series continues to look great on Blu-ray; fans should be thrilled.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like 4's Blu-ray before it, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child delivers a rousing, big-stage, rumbly DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It's perhaps a hair more reserved than 4, but the net effect remains largely the same. The track features plenty of surround support elements in its creation of a wide, enveloping soundstage. Clarity isn't at the top of the charts -- there's a slight mushiness to some effects, and a few lack even more than pinpoint clarity -- but the drop-off in quality isn't great and the trade-off in volume and power more than make up for it and actually suit the film just fine. Chapter five sees some of the film's heaviest, most robust action; thunderous bass and plenty of destructive sound effects pull the listener into the moment and create a devastating but thoroughly enjoyable moment in the film. Ambient effects are handled nearly as well; light din at the graduation or general nighttime atmospherics heard in some of the dream sequences are suitably immersive and, while lacking that precision clarity, do benefit from high volume and natural placement all over the stage. Dialogue is much more balanced here than in The Dream Warriors with less of a canned, hollow sound. Overall, it's a powerhouse track that nicely absorbs the audience into the film.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child contains few featurettes, two music videos, and a trailer.

• Behind the Story (SD): A multi-part feature that examines the film in detail. First is Womb Raiders (6:23), a look at project origins, plot themes and ideas, series imagery, and the film's general direction. The Sticky Floor (5:45) focuses on the cutting-edge of visual effects in the film and the general Hollywood landscape at the time of shooting. Take the Stairs (0:56) examines one of the film's important elements. Hopkins Directs (0:35) shows the director working with Robert Englund on-set. Finally, A Slight Miscalculation (1:26) looks at differences in this film compared to the others.
• Music Videos (SD): Are you Ready For Freddy? by Fat Boys (5:31) and Anyway I Gotta Swing It by Whodini (3:25).
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 0:45).

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child doesn't find the same level of success as its predecessor, but Director Stephen Hopkins' film delivers serviceable scares within the familiar Nightmare frame. It features a stale plot and a boring character roster, but some creepy visuals and a good, dark atmosphere help make the movie a bit more palatable than it probably otherwise should be. It's a midlevel entry into the series, a passable Horror flick that's a letdown from the last but a satisfying experience within the entire franchise canon. New Line's Blu-ray release of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child features high quality video and audio. A few supplements are included. Recommended.