A Nightmare on Elm Street 2

What a bizarre bit of horror fluff from the 80's.

Having seen none of the Elm Street sequels, I wasn't really sure what to expect here.  What I got was a weird dance routine to Harold Faltermeyer style music, exploding parakeets, dogs with human faces, evil puppet pussycats and probably the most ridiculous horror lead ever in "Jesse".  Another review I read describes him as "an irritating little twerp" which is pretty much on the nose.

Jesse is a teenage boy from the 80's with big hair and a bigger problem.  His family have moved into the house from the first movie and he's started having nightmares about Freddy.  This puts a bit of a crimp in his social life, especially when he starts shrieking like a five year old girl during class, and being forced by Freddy to go to S&M bars at night.

Actually, a number of the reviews I've read for this film mention the gay subtext.  I'm not sure if it is intentional or not.  On the one hand, it's pretty blatant.  On the other, to assume it is intentional is to assume that some form of intelligence is behind the movie.  The jury in my head is still out on this.

Back to the film.  It soon becomes clear (because Jesse keeps whining on about it) that Freddy wants to possess him in order to carry his murders on in the real world.  No-one believes Jesse.  "Why won't anyone beleeeeeeive me?" he complains to his girlfriend while covered in the blood of his best friend.  Eventually, she catches on.

There's a bit of a denouement at the end (the traditional place for it) which is rather limp but does involve the girlfriend with big 80's hair and a bow.  I am told the 80's are coming back, which is hardly surprising considering it is the best decade ever.  Let's just hope they remake this sequel too.  The exploding parakeet will be awesome in 3D.

"You are all my children now, wuh-hahahahaaaaaaa".

2/10