A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)
-
73% of critics liked it
(33 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(283,602 ratings)
The best of the Elm Street sequels, this creepy, surreal fantasy features terrific effects, a fine young cast, and an air of grim fatalism that sets it apart from its giggly successors. Patricia Arquette stars as Kristen, whose nightmare leads to a slashed wrist which looks suspiciously like a… More The best of the Elm Street sequels, this creepy, surreal fantasy features terrific effects, a fine young cast, and an air of grim fatalism that sets it apart from its giggly successors. Patricia Arquette stars as Kristen, whose nightmare leads to a slashed wrist which looks suspiciously like a suicide attempt. She is placed in a hospital psychiatric ward with a group of six other troubled teens who all dream about the same horribly burned man (Robert Englund) trying to kill them. Perhaps the most unusual thing about this picture, however, is the unexpected depth of sadness running through it. There are some achingly sweet moments in this otherwise frightening film which, though not disruptive, are impossible to analyze. The first and most bizarre of these is Heather Langenkamp's entrance, which inexplicably causes most viewers to get misty-eyed, and there are several similar scenes throughout the film. One answer can be found in the sensitive direction of Chuck Russell, who emphasizes the tragedy and utter hopelessness in these kids' lives and manages to wring some unexpectedly perceptive turns from his cast. This is a film in which a great deal of care was obviously lavished on individual scenes (the sets are outstanding) and performances. The results are well worth repeated viewings, and prove that sequels don't necessarily have to be inferior films. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Directed By
- Chuck Russell
- Written By
- Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont, Wes Craven, Bruce Wagner
- Genres
- Horror
- In Theaters
- Feb 27, 1987 Wide
- Studio
- Media Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
-
Variety Staff, Variety
Debuting director Chuck Russell elicits poor performances from most of his thesps, making it difficult to differentiate between pic's comic relief and unintended howlers.
-
, Time Out
A creepy score and Russell's sure grasp of the skewed logic of nightmares helps to sustain the ambiguity between the 'real' and 'dream' worlds, while Englund's Freddie now fits like a glove.
-
Janet Maslin, New York Times
The film's dream sequences are ingenious, and they feature some remarkable nightmare images and special effects.
-
Richard Harrington, Washington Post
While it's better than its predecessor, it's still not quite up to its inspiration.
-
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is filmmaking by the numbers, without soul.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Cast
-
Heather Langenkamp
as Nancy Thompson
-
Patricia Arquette
as Kristen Parker
-
Laurence Fishburne
as Max
-
Priscilla Pointer
as Dr. Elizabeth Simms
-
Craig Wasson
as Dr. Neil Goldman
-
Robert Englund
as Freddy Krueger
-
Brooke Bundy
as Elaine Parker
-
Rodney Eastman
as Joey
-
Bradley Gregg
as Phillip
-
Ira Heiden
as Will
-
Ken Sagoes
as Kincaid
-
Penelope Sudrow
as Jennifer
-
Jennifer Rubin
as Taryn
-
John Saxon
as Lt. John Thompson
-
Clayton Landey
as Lorenzo Orderly
-
Nan Martin
as Nun
-
Stacey Alden
as Marcie
-
Kristin Clayton
as Little Girl
-
Sally Piper
as Nurse
-
Rozlyn Sorrell
as Nurse
-
Dick Cavett
as Himself
-
Zsa Zsa Gabor
as Herself
-
Paul Kent
as Dr. Carver
-
Michael Rougas
as Priest in Church
-
Melanie Doctors
as Girl in Cemetery
-
James Carroll
as Neurosurgeon
-
Jack Shea
as Priest in Cemetery



