The Platinum Dunes (re: Michael Bay’s company) remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street has not impressed, scared or left any kind of lasting impression other than a “yawn” with critics as it heads into its nationwide theatrical debut today.
At aggregate ratings website Rotten Tomatoes, 49 of 56 counted reviews have been slapped with a rotten stamp. For comparison, the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th managed a 25% fresh rating. That is no great shakes either, but certainly better than the 13% Freddy is saddled with.
Even looking at the positive reviews does not paint a bright picture. Critic Chris Hewitt of the St. Paul Pioneer Press gave A Nightmare on Elm Street a fresh rating yet also admitted, “…if you want to be scared, you’re out of luck.”
Roger Ebert succinctly sums up the remake with two simple words: so what? Warner Bros. and Platinum Dunes hope to reciprocate those words right back at the critical response if A Nightmare on Elm Street can top $30 million in its opening weekend.
