Scarefest X Countdown Review by Jason Minton

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors – 1987



“Freddy’s just around the corner…” and this time, “if you think you’re ready for Freddy, think again!” The last remaining children of Elm Street have found their way to a hospital specializing in dream therapy. All the children of Elm Street, seem to be having nightmares of a knife fingered, burnt man trying to kill them in their dreams. Young psychiatrist Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) is terrified to find Freddy Krueger is haunting the dreams of her new patients. With Nancy’s help the children learn to use the power of their dreams, coming together to fight their nightmares. “If you think you’ll get out alive, you must be dreaming.”

Wes Craven is brought back to his dream child as a writer for the second extension of his original work. This time around Frank Darabont had a little play on the script. Darabont would go on to direct The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist but most fans probably know him for translating The Walking Dead to television. The culmination has scares from Wes Craven’s original work, some of the comedy of its sequel and adds in a new element of an action movie which was never felt before. I stand by the statement that the Wes Craven directed A Nightmare on Elm Street movies are the only true horror movies of the original franchise. While the majority of its sequels have too much comedy to completely be horror, Dream Warrior takes an action route in a horror world and is the best sequel of the series for it.

Heather Langenkamp returns to her role as Nancy Thompson. The best Freddy Krueger movies have Nancy opposing him. Ms. Langenkamp shined in the original but lets her teenage leads take center stage against Freddy for this sequel. Single character development is limited in the third film which is a huge reason the film came off more as action than scares. What Dream Warrior did do to great success is create several characters with a superhero list of strengths to oppose Freddy. It spoke to the crowd of the time. Every Freddy loving kid got exactly what they wanted to see when kids fought back. Some of the most memorable victims of Freddy movies arrive in Dream Warriors and they’re ready to kick ass when they get there. Part 3 also holds some of the most memorable kills. Teenagers everywhere lost when the Dream Warriors did and won against Freddy with those who survived. At least until the next time you fall asleep.

4 out of 5 Headless Critics




WYH present A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Warriors reunion panel hosted by Neal Jones.


WYH Interview with Heather Langenkamp


WYH presents The Ladies of Elm Street Q&A Panel hosted by Neal Jones