Making a sequel is always a hard thing. No matter how good it is people will always say "It's not as good as the original". Two of the most successful horror movies ever made, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street , both got sequels the year after the original film.
The F13 sequel is one of the most loved of the series. The NOES sequel is one of the most disliked of the series.
What did F13 get right that NOES got wrong?
Friday the 13th Part 2 introduced us to Jason as the killer for the first time. While he didn't wear his signature hockey mask yet, he was still a terrifying figure. F13 2 upped the ante in terms of body count and still has some of the most memorable kills of the franchise. The cast, lead by Amy Steel, all delivered good performances. Director Steve Miner brought us many iconic images that stay with you long after the movie is over.
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| One of my favorite "Final Girls" |
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| This scene really got to me as a kid. |
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge is by contrast the stepchild of the NOES series. The biggest problem with the film is the script. Writer David Chaskin filled the script with homoerotic subtext in an effect to amplify the horror for teen boys. This caused a lot of strife on the set and the film suffers for it.
It also violates the rules of the first film. While Freddy appearing at the pool party is an iconic scene, it's not something he should be able to do. Freddy taking over a persons body is not something he did before or after this.
Director Jack Sholder does give us some terrifying images, but they aren't enough to make the film rise above the original or sequels.
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| "You've got the body...." |
When discussing which NOES film is their favorite I have yet to hear anyone cite this one.
