A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) ****1/2 [Freddython 2021 Pt. 3]

A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) probably doesn't deserve quite as high a star rating as I award it (and I even toyed with giving it **** this time around), but the first three NOES films (my reviews of the first two here and here)—and in particular this entry—are so intrinsically linked to my preteen self that it's impossible for me to separate my nostalgia from serious critical analysis (which, is that really necessary with a slasher anyway?). ANOES3 was a formative horror film for me but I do also think it holds up incredibly well.

I have fond memories of being equally terrified and fascinated by the first three NOES films and I particularly love Dream Warriors for its inventiveness, likable characters, and of course Freddy's one-liners (including this immortal one). Thanks to the likes of Kevin Yagher and Mark Shostrom, the movie is a marvel of makeup and practical effects, and the production design is equally satisfying. The deaths are indelible, giving horror slasher fans a gleeful charge in witnessing them, but there is also a tangible sadness to them. 

It's a rarity that a debut (not to mention the third film in a franchise) is this good, so kudos to director/co-writer Chuck Russell, along with first-time feature film co-writer and future director Frank Darabont—who would both go on to make the super fun The Blob remake (my review here) the following year—for that. DW does a great job of building Krueger's lore ("the bastard son of a hundred maniacs") and the return of Wes Craven (as story and co-writer), and stars Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon (plus solid performances from Craig Wasson and Laurence "Larry" Fishburne) only adds to its pedigree. 

Though he doesn't have a ton of screen time, Robert Englund is perhaps the perfect Freddy here—just the right blend of menacing and humorous (before going full camp in the sequels that followed). The trade off is that we spend a lot of time with Nancy and the kids in the mental hospital (including Patricia Arquette in an affecting screen debut as Kristen), which isn't a bad thing at all. With the help of a strong cast, the film balances the darkness of the subject matter (suicide, depression, drug use, neglectful parents, well-meaning but misunderstanding doctors) with fun and fantasy. Langenkamp doesn't quite get the opportunity to shine the way that she does in the first film but *SPOILER* I tear up every time when Nancy dies in Kristen’s arms. *END SPOILER*

ANOES3 will always hold a special place in my horror heart. It's a film that got all the elements of a slasher right and continues to entertain more than 30 years later. It's generally regarded as the second best entry in the franchise, for all the reasons I mentioned above and more. Now go listen to Dokken's theme song, you Dream Warriors!

You can find my Nightmare On Elm Street Films Ranked list here.