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A Nightmare on Elm Street

(1984, Rated R, Horror, Starring Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    First feature for knife-handed horror idol Freddy.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    While heroine Nancy is smart and resourceful in fighting against the evil Freddy, her friends are a little less so, and the neighborhood grownups and authority figures are secretly vigilante murderers who cause more harm than good.
  • Violence:

    Much gore -- with the qualifier that it's often "nightmare," surreal violence, like Freddy's face getting torn off to reveal a staring skull, an endless fountain of blood pouring out of a victim's bed, and so on. Freddy's fingers are sliced off, and he's set on fire.
  • Sex:

    Teen lovers in bed together (exerting themselves loudly, though nothing is seen). Brief female nudity (a profile in heavy shadow).
  • Language:

    R-worthy profanity including "f--k" a few times and "s--t" uttered by a few police officers.
  • Consumerism:

    None, although a Freddy Krueger industry of toys, models, books, and even software ensued.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The heroine's mother is a heavy-drinking alcoholic.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About A Nightmare on Elm Street

Parents need to know that this slasher flick has a lot of over-the-top gore and violence, with the qualifier that it's often "nightmare," surreal violence. Nightmare visions include a face being torn off to reveal a staring skull, a geyser of blood pouring out of a victim's bed and pooling in defiance of gravity on the ceiling, and so forth. It's dream-like, but fatalities still result. The young people at the center of the film, though very highly evolved for horror-movie teens circa 1984, are still sexually active and at odds with their parents.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the secret guilt that the parents share: that they killed Krueger and covered it up, and now the evil child-murderer is attacking their children rather than them. Considering the old sins-of-the-fathers biblical warning (in slasher-movie clothing), does that change what you think of Freddy and what punishment he deserves? Parents may also be able to make English class seem more interesting to horror-minded kids by mentioning that writer-director Wes Craven was once an English teacher.

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Our Members Say

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  • What did you think about A Nightmare on Elm Street?
  •  I think this movie is

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See all 22 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Exellent, but scary.

    one of the best horror films of all time. Freddy is an amazing killer, and very scary looking. It doesn't really scare, but makes you think, " what if".

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    cheesey freddy

    this movie is really cheesey my freinds saw it when they were two but it really good

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Excellent! A great Horror film for young teens!

    I loved it, an absolutely WONDERFUL horror film but because of some violence, a scene of sexuality, Swearing, and alcohol use I would say at least 13+. The Mother is an alcoholic who drinks heavily and there is frequent use of the F-word and some use of words such as Sh**, in one scene blood pours out of a bed so then again I say this title is for young teens ages 13+

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Amazing. Great for halloween.

    This is a classic horror movie that I recomend seeing. But parents:IF YOU EVER WANT YOUR YOUNGER KIDS TO SLEEP PEACFULLY YOU WILL KEEP THEM AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE AS POSSIBLE!FREEDY WILL TERRIFY THEM!I AM DEAD SERIOUS!

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    A little too violent but its a classic horror movie i suggest not showing this to 10 or younger

  7. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Perfect Horror Movie for Mature Teens and Adults

    Classic horror movie which I really enjoyed. Violence is throughout so is moderate language. And a brief sex scene but with no nudity.

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    8 and up

    i hated this movie not because it had gore and swearing and sex but because of the story.

  9. I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Maybe bad for 1984 but pretty tame for today's standards in terms of violence. It's not even that scary. There's some blood and also some swearing.

  10. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    Good but chezzy

    This is a old 1984 Horror movie scary for its time but is just as bad as scream now { not scary}.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Are you ready for Freddy?

    This movie is so awesome! The kills are bloody and actually a little creepy. You'd have to be out of your mind not to like this slasher classic!

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    great movie in horror movie history. Hope the remake is a good or better of im not watching it

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Funny?

    I think this movie is hilarious,I mean, Its fun for me how freddy moves,talks... I didnt get scared at all with this movie,but its a masterpiece ;) but dont expect to get scared with freddy... probably you'll laugh at him! x)

  16. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 1.0

    Good

    Kids will enjoy the slapstick humor. I could see this when i was 5

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Utah
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 2.0

    Ridiculous

    This was a really stupid movie, but if you're like me and watch scary movies so you can laugh at them, by all means watch it. Pretty bloody at times, and moderate language. Lots of intense scenes

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    A true and great classic!

    As a major, major, fan of the slasher genre i was truly impressed. This movie isnt all that scary a few scenes where Freddy pops up out of no where that can make you jump but its not to bad, the violence is out dated and and probly won't be all that bad for anyone over 13 depending strongly on the person though, Freddy's pretty badly burned up, In one scene a character's chest is ripped open (you see her breasts very briefly RIGHT before), One is hung, One is sucked into and under their bed and blood shoots out of it (way, way, way more blood then the human body can actually hold), and there are some gory/ disturbing images, You hear a couple having sex with heavy moaning and you see the guy pull out but its not explicit, you see Nancy's breasts while she's taking a bath, language is somewhere between 4 and 7 F words, a few minor words and crude names for body parts. But overall it should be ok for anyone 13/14 and up.

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

    once, two, freddy's coming for you!

    A boogieman haunts teens in their dreams. If he kills them in their dream, they die in reality. If you know your kid and you let them watch horror movies, this is a light "R" in my book. Gore is about average, language is rather taime compared to many "R" rated movies.

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