Every 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Movie Ranked!

One-two Freddy's coming for you, three-four better lock your door. Well, I hope not. And if he sees this post, I hope he's happy because I'm ranking all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies right here.

It's the scariest time of the year, Halloween has arrived when I watch as many scary movies as I can handle. Not only is it the spookiest time of the year, though, but it is also my favorite part of the year because my love of the horror genre has only grown over the years and the emotions some of the very best ones have caused only make them that more memorable and timeless. To kick off a new part of the site where I rank various movies (whether it is a franchise, a director's filmography, or certain movie characters), I decided to do my first ranking on all of the Nightmare on Elm Street films partly because the original celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. This might be my favorite horror movie franchise purely because, visually and stylistically, it is so wildly inventive and incredibly creative. While I enjoy parts of the other notable slasher-horror franchises, like Halloween and Friday the 13th, I love watching most of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies (except for two). The imagination, the genuine fear factor of Freddy Krueger, the genius use of practical effects and the wonderful music by Charles Bernstein make most of these films so entertaining to sit through and watch as the nightmares unfold.

In this list, I will be ranking every single Nightmare film - including Freddy vs. Jason and the 2010 remake - and giving you my thoughts (both good and bad) on each film. Some places may surprise you, others may not, and there may be a “hot take” here or there too. But, regardless, I had a lot of fun revisiting most of these movies and seeing where they land on my rankings of arguably my favorite slasher-horror film franchise. So, without further ado, this is my ranking of every single Nightmare on Elm Street movie!

9. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (2010)

First up and at the bottom of the pile is (unsurprisingly) A Nightmare on Elm Street, the 2010 remake and not the 1984 movie that is far better than whatever this is. It was part of that run of 2000s horror movie remakes, all of which were produced by Platinum Dunes, that included the likes of 2003’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the reboot of Friday the 13th in 2009 (which is probably my favorite Friday the 13th film in that other iconic slasher-horror franchise). A Nightmare on Elm Street, slightly similar to the 1984 original, is about a group of teenagers who are stalked and murdered by a burnt-faced man by the name of Freddy Krueger. But, unlike Wes Craven's 1984 film, they all share a common childhood past that makes them targets for the demented and twisted killer.

Like all the other Platinum Dunes-produced horror remakes, there is a grittiness and sepia tone to the style of this film. But, more than anything it really sucks any charm or life out of this movie and loses that visual flair the franchise was partly defined and remembered for. Some horrific creative choices are made, like the terrible CGI (Freddy Krueger coming out of the wall being a prime example of how much worse digital is compared to the practical work done in 1984) and the changed look of Freddy as well. On that note, the biggest difference between the original and this remake is the fact that Jackie Earle Haley takes over from Englund and steps into the role of Freddy Krueger. And with all due respect to Jackie Earle Haley, he just isn't Robert Englund and I don't think his performance is very good either. It is creepy (in a bad way), the make-up is awful and the dialogue doesn't do him any favors at all. Not only has Freddy lost all of that sinister fear factor, but even the kills have lost their impact and creativity as well. However, that said, there is one great kill in this and that is when Freddy kills Jesse (Thomas Decker) by putting his claw through his chest in the boiler room. Still, it is pretty slim pickings.

Look, there is no other way to put this, I hate this movie. It is a cheap imitation of the 1984 original, there are zero new ideas here that inject freshness and originality, all the actors look depressed and like they are sleepwalking through the entire thing. There may be some glimmers of what could've been a better film, but the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street is a pile of garbage and an absolutely terrible movie. It's at the bottom of this list for a reason and is my least favorite of all the Nightmare films.

8. ‘Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare’ (1991)

“Hmm. Great graphics.” - Freddy Krueger

At number eight and really giving the 2010 remake a run for its money as the worst Nightmare on Elm Street film is Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, which was the last entry in the “original” run of Nightmare movies. It was also New Line's first 3D film, and it really does add to the cheesiness of Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare - in a bad way. They are lame, overused, and feel forced and it just comes across as a lame excuse to get people excited again and have them back into the theatre to watch a new Nightmare movie. In the film, Maggie (Lisa Zane) - a child psychologist - helps a troubled teen experiencing the same horrific dreams as her and is subsequently forced to confront her personal connection with Freddy Krueger (Englund).

Much like Jason Goes to Hell, Freddy’s Dead was another early-'90s slasher flick that was intended to kill off its iconic character for good but failed to deliver on that promise by bringing him back in other films later down the line (including a crossover film with the other horror icon Jason Voorhees). It's a good job, too, because this would've been a really sad note to end on for Robert Englund and his time playing the dream killer. Here, his Freddy is a shadow of his former self stripped of any terror or genuine fear factor and is now a self-parody, cartoon-like character. His one-liners are lame and feel forced, the make-up isn't really that good, and Freddy's Dead is (generally) the lowest that Englund's iteration of the character is at. There are some glimmers of a potentially good story, though, I liked the scene in the movie where these juvenile teens from a troubled youth shelter arrive at Springwood and they find that there are no kids in this town and the adults have all gone crazy. It's this bizarro, alternate-reality world that I wish was explored more deeply. But, that is really as good as it gets because everything else in this film is just bad.

In terms of my favorite kill, there aren't a lot to choose from; there are only about three total kills (Freddy is pretty tame in this one) and I don't think he kills any of these characters using his glove either. If I had to choose, I would probably have to go with the death of Spencer (Breckin Meyer) and how he dies in a video game that is controlled and played by Freddy. It is a little silly and idiotic, but it is also fun to watch and plays on the creativity that the franchise is mostly known for and it is funny to see the reactions of the other characters too.

Generally, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare is a bad movie and one of the Nightmare on Elm Street films that I genuinely do not enjoy watching. It's far too goofy, the acting is really bland and not very good, and the effects are dreadful and do not hold up well in any way shape or form. In other words, I really don't like this film and is one of my least favorite entries in the entire franchise.

7. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child’ (1989)

In seventh place on this list is A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child, which is the third and last Nightmare film that I really do not enjoy watching. It also marks the point in the franchise when the series was on a clear decline, where Freddy was past his prime and now a full-blown cartoon character. After he is defeated in the final scenes of The Dream Master, Freddy is back through a vision Alice (Lisa Wilcox) has and this time haunts the dreams of her unborn child.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child is not a very good movie, by any stretch of the imagination. The story is incredibly confusing and unnecessarily complicated, and I found it very difficult to follow what was going on in places. It is also pretty disappointing that Freddy's backstory, which was such a big highlight in The Dream Warriors (), was revisited for this fifth installment and it only served to needlessly convolute a plot that was already all over the place. Outside of the very weak story, Alice is joined by a few of her friends who are along for the ride in this Nightmare flick. Honestly, they are just disposable at this point and are largely forgettable and annoying; all of whom also clearly did not see the previous film in the franchise. With that said, my favorite kill in this movie goes to Mark (Joe Seely) when he is pulled into one of his comic books and suffers a cartoony Take On Me-style death at the sharp claws of Freddy Krueger. It shows how wildly creative these movies can be, I really like the approach that is adopted in this scene, it may be silly but it is a thoroughly entertaining part in the movie and is (unironically) one of the best dream/kill sequences in the entire franchise.

Overall, The Dream Child is a complete mess in both its story and its style. Robert Englund is still giving his 100% to the role, but he cannot save this movie from having some truly atrocious and flat one-liners. Unfortunately, some admittedly cool visuals and dream sequences also cannot save this Nightmare on Elm Street film from being just a bad entry in the franchise.

6. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge’ (1985)

Next on the list is A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge, the sequel to the original Nightmare on Elm Street film which was released less than a year after that iconic first Nightmare. The film follows Jesse (Mark Patton), who is being haunted by recurring nightmares shortly after having recently moved into the former home of the last known survivor of the Elm Street murders. There, Jesse is recruited and possessed by Freddy Krueger (Englund) - a maniacal dream-stalking killer - in an attempt to continue his killing in the real world.

Look, whether it is Halloween II or Friday the 13th Part 2, it’s difficult for any slasher-horror sequel to follow in the footsteps of a stone-cold classic that is the original film. Unfortunately, Freddy’s Revenge doesn’t quite hit the same levels as those sequels to Halloween and Friday the 13th. It is a little dull in places, I thought some of the dream sequences were fairly repetitive, and - disappointingly - Freddy is barely even in this as well and, whenever he does appear on-screen, he is devoid of any real personality at all. Yet, it is not all that bad. I thought it did a really good job of establishing a creepy and unsettling tone whilst the visuals are still really cool. Plus, it does have one of the franchise’s most memorable Freddy moments (“You are all my children now”).

Surprisingly, if you don’t count the several teens that are slashed at the pool party, this movie has only two major kills throughout its entire runtime. One is super weird that involves a gym teacher in all-leather clothing and a shower room (the rest I will leave up to the imagination), whilst another is a great use of practical effects when Freddy comes out of Jesse’s body to murder Grady (Robert Rusler). It is an excellent example of body horror, one of the best visuals in the series, and my favorite kill in the movie. All-in-all, despite being a lackluster follow-up, Freddy’s Revenge is still a fun and slightly odd entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street film saga that I slightly enjoyed watching.

5. ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (2003)

In fifth and just about making the top five is Freddy vs. Jason, which is the 20003 slasher-horror that pitted two horror icons - Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees - against each other. It is dated by today's standards (some of the effects have not aged well at all), but this is a great time nonetheless and is in that tier of Nightmare on Elm Street movies that I thoroughly enjoy watching. In the film, Freddy enlists Jason Voorhees to slash a few of the Elm Street teens until he regains his power and goes back to haunting people's dreams. However, Freddy soon turns against Jason when Jason goes rogue and starts an onslaught of his own.

A Freddy-Jason cross-over movie had been in the works for about a decade with the studio taking forever to come up with an idea, but I think the concept they come up with here is a pretty great one. They go from allies in one half, to mortal enemies and horror rivals in the other. With that said, Freddy vs. Jason is not a perfect film. There is a character in this who is a shameful rip-off of Jason Mewes’ Jay from the Jay and Silent Bob films, there is also a small appearance from Slug/Worm Freddy which is all kinds of bad CGI and I am not on board with the whole pinball sequence involving Jason either. In fact, while this is very much a Nightmare on Elm Street movie (Freddy is integral to the story and Elm Street is a big part of the plot), I think it might be a better Jason Voorhees movie than a Freddy one. Jason has all the best kills and most of the memorable moments, while Freddy has really only one kill which is probably my favorite Freddy Krueger kill by default.

But, the main event is the final showdown between these two horror icons at Camp Crystal Lake and it lives up to the hype. There are some pretty silly, goofy parts to this battle but it is also soaked in gore and offers a few twists and turns throughout to keep the fight entertaining and thrilling. I love that they effectively kill each other with one another's weapons, Freddy slashes Jason with his machete and Jason stabs Freddy through the chest with his own glove. It's poetic, it is also a fitting end to both horror greats and is just an awesome moment for fans of both franchises.

4. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master’ (1988)

At number four is 1988's A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, which (coincidentally) is the fourth film in the franchise. It is also the first one to have Robert Englund's name billed on the top of the opening titles, which just goes to show how popular Freddy Krueger was at that time in the late 1980s, and was also the movie when Freddy began to be a quip-filled monster who has all but lost his sinister edge. When Freddy kills the last of the Elm Street kids, including Kristen (now played by Tuesday Knight), he terrorizes the dreams of Alice (Lisa Wilcox) and her family and friends to fulfill his desire to kill.

This is an insane movie, for all the right and wrong reasons. First of all, a dog digs up Freddy’s remains and proceeds to urinate on them conjuring up his evil spirit and bringing him back from the dead for this movie at least. Then, if that wasn't enough, Alice takes on the powers (or souls?) of her friends every time one of them dies as well. One of those souls is her brother, Rick (Andras Jones), who suffers one of the worst Freddy kills ever and whose defining trait is his karate moves which injects more martial arts in the film than I remembered. Again, this is a pretty bizarre film.

Honestly, though, I applaud the absolute craziness that this movie brings and I really enjoyed watching the pure insanity of The Dream Master in general. There are some truly memorable and cool dream sequences, including Kristen's day out at the beach gone wrong and Alice's trip to the movies, and the vibrant pop visual aesthetic/imagery is still there too. As for who gets the best kill, it is between Sheila (Toy Kewkirk) and Debbie (Brooke Theiss) but I have go to with Debbie's death; her elbows get crushed and broken, and she then turns into a cockroach, and is crushed to death by the hands of Freddy Krueger in a roach motel box. It is imaginatively and creatively complex, a great but grotesque piece of body horror and my favorite kill in the movie.

While it does lamely kill off the teens that were left over from the previous film to make way for some pretty unmemorable new kids on the block, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is still a pretty solid entry in the franchise. It has an MTV-style aesthetic, the soundtrack is up there with one of the best in the series (along with The Dream Warriors), and it is just a great-looking Nightmare film in general. Due to a weak plot and some poorly written characters, however, it is not quite up there among my top three. But, still, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is still a pretty good Nightmare movie on pure ambition alone.

3. ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’ (1994)

These last three are the ones I enjoy the most and what I think is the gold standard for this franchise, so in third is 1994's New Nightmare (otherwise known more as Wes Craven’s New Nightmare). It marks Wes Craven’s return to the series a decade after his ground-breaking original, and one that somewhat acts as a prelude to another Wes Craven-directed slasher-horror in Scream a couple of years later as well. In the film, Heather Langenkamp - the star of the 1984 original - is reluctantly forced back into the world of Nightmare on Elm Street when her son falls under the spell of Freddy Krueger as fantasy crosses over into reality.

While this was a risky film to make, I have to admit that this is also a pretty relentless one from start to finish too as we go from one scare-filled sequence to the next at blistering speed. Wes Craven's New Nightmare is also very well-written, cleverly depicting a meta-narrative where “art imitates life” all whilst still giving fans a fresh tale for one of horror’s greatest icons. Like all the others that preceded this one, too, the overall imagery is visually memorable with a shot of Freddy from the moonlit sky toying with Heather and her son on the freeway becoming one of my favorite shots in the entire franchise. My favorite kill in New Nightmare is easily when Julie (Tracy Middendorf), the family babysitter, is sliced and diced to death when we see both her viewpoint where you can actually see Freddy but also shots from the perspectives of other people where you can't. It is such a good mix, incredibly well-shot, and a fine example of how Freddy is well and truly back to his evil sinister ways in this movie.

It's also great to see Robert Englund back as Freddy Krueger, who delivers a really sadistic performance as the dream killer. His death (where he gets burned to death in a furnace and turns into the devil?) is pretty lame, though, and I think generally the finale sequence is what slightly lets the film down for me. I actually really liked when Heather Langenkamp is pulled back into the world of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies when John Saxon starts addressing her as “Nancy” (her character in the films) and it would've been really cool to see some of the highlights from the other sequels in this scene as well because it is such a great moment in the movie.

Still, I think Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a very entertaining entry in the franchise and one that is a thrilling roller coaster ride. The performances perfectly range from the creepy to the sweet-natured innocence, there are plenty of well-executed and well-designed scares and (in general) it is just a great reunion piece too. New Nightmare is a creatively ambitious slasher-horror and - despite a subpar finale - is one of my favorite films across the entire Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.

2. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’ (1987)

At number two and pretty close to taking that number one spot is A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, which is widely regarded among fans as the best Nightmare on Elm Street sequel and rightfully so. I think a lot of the credit and its reputation has to go to both the writing, which involved Wes Craven (who directed the original Nightmare on Elm Street film), and the story and I like the overall premise of this movie. The film follows a group of sleep-deprived teens, led by Kristen (played by a young Patricia Arquette), as they all suffer from their dreams being invaded by Freddy Krueger and must join forces to battle the knives-for-fingers nightmarish demon. Heather Langenkamp also returns to reprise her role as Nancy, who is now a psychiatrist familiar with the murderous antics of Freddy.

Honestly, I was surprised by how awesome this movie is when I watched it for the first time a few years ago and I am happy to report that it is just as great the second time around. I love Nancy’s role in this where she is using her experience of taking down Freddy to help these troubled teens, whilst it is also great to see John Saxon back as Donald - Nancy’s father. Robert Englund's Freddy is so good as well, the perfect mix between the sinister evil version from the first two Nightmare films along with the playful goofiness we would see more of in later films. Plus, unlike its predecessor, he actually has some kind of personality and gets to deliver some pretty sweet quips here and there too.

Dream Warriors also has some of the best visuals and imagery in the entire franchise, with a shot of Freddy showing his fingers as injection needles and the whole Hall of Mirrors sequence being a couple of stand-out moments aesthetically in the film. Generally, it is just a pretty cool film where one of the teens transforms into a wizard to take on Freddy. As for my favorite kill, I think it has to go to when Phillip (Bradley Gregg) is being used as Freddy's puppet as he walks to the tower and ultimately falls to his death. It is such a memorable part in the film, it slowly builds up too and the horrifying look on all the other kids’ faces as well is such a great way to set the stage for the rest of the film. But, the demise of Jennifer (Penelope Sudrow) - who gets shoved into the TV set - is a pretty close second purely because it does end with Freddy’s best line in the movie (“Welcome to prime time, b**ch!”).

While some sequences and scenes are dated now, I think A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is a fantastically imaginative entry in the series with a cool ‘80s-infused soundtrack and some all-time moments in the entire run of Nightmare on Elm Street films. It is my second favorite Nightmare flick, one that I cannot wait to revisit, and is my pick for number two.

1. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)

“This…is God.” - Freddy Krueger

And that just leaves one film, and it is the original Nightmare on Elm Street film from 1984 that tops the list. It is the one that started it all, birthing not just one of the great slasher-horror film franchises but one of the most iconic villains too. Written and directed by Wes Craven, a Hollywood legend in the genre, A Nightmare on Elm Street is about a group of teenagers - led by Nancy (Langenkamp) - as they are targeted by child killer Freddy Krueger who haunts them in their dreams.

Look, while this is an obvious and pretty basic choice, I love 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. It has an incredibly smart script, it is masterfully crafted by horror legend Wes Craven, and is packed with some truly iconic imagery as well. The performances here are what sells the film even more; Heather Langenkamp is really good in the role of Nancy, the sweet and soft-hearted teenager who really holds her own against one of horror’s greatest creations, whilst Johnny Depp (in his film debut) basically sleepwalks throughout the entire movie as Glenn - Nancy’s good-natured, charismatic boyfriend. He is memorably killed off, though, when he is pulled into his bed and dies in blood-soaked fashion; it is gruesome, memorable, and my favorite kill in the movie. Robert Englund, who would return to the role of Freddy Krueger in all the other Nightmare movies (apart from the 2010 remake), is manic and - at times - menacing in his first appearance as Freddy. He manages to find that right balance between creepy and weird, all whilst bringing to life his irreplaceable portrayal as one of horror’s most iconic villains.

And much like the Halloween films, the original 1984 Nightmare on Elm Street raised and set the bar so high that its subsequent sequels have failed to surpass it. While it is cheesy in places by today’s standards, A Nightmare on Elm Street - the 1984 film, that is - remains my favorite Nightmare On Elm Street movie and a timeless ‘80s horror classic that brought to life one of the most terrifying creations in the world of slasher-horror.