A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

1989
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

Critics Consensus

A Nightmare on Elm Street feels exhausted by this cheesy fifth entry, bogged down by a convoluted mythology while showing none of the chilling technique that kicked off the franchise.

32%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 31

32%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 217,738
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Movie Info

In the fifth installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, Alice (Lisa Wilcox) begins the film with the notion that she is safe after she vanquished the evil Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) by learning how to battle the dreamworld psychopath within her own unconscious mind. But somehow Freddy has survived, and Alice discovers that he's found a place where Alice can't protect herself when he taps into the dreams of her unborn child. Freddy is soon leaving a trail of destruction while the child is still in the womb, and he will become even more deadly when the child comes to term. Memorable moments include Freddy's attack on a comic book artist and his Hellish experiences when "the bastard son of a hundred maniacs" is locked in an insane asylum with a nun. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child was followed by Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, though Mr. Krueger popped up again in Wes Craven's New Nighmare. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Cast

Robert Englund
as Freddy
Lisa Wilcox
as Alice
Danny Hassel
as Dan
Kelly Jo Minter
as Yvonne
Erika Anderson
as Greta
Whitby Hertford
as Jacob
Joe Seely
as Mark
Beatrice Boepple
as Amanda
Nick Armstrong
as Alice's Father
Valorie Armstrong
as Dan's Mother
Burr De Benning
as Mr. Jordan
Roxanne Mayweather
Stacey Elliott
as Girl in Locker
Clarence Felder
as Mr. Gray
Matt Borlenghi
as Jock
E.R. Davies
as Delivery Doctor
Beth DePatie
as Anne
Will Egan
as Semi-Truck Driver
Stephen Grives
as Dr. Moore
Jake Jacobs
as Trendy Guest
Don Maxwell
as Coach Ostrow
Marnette Patterson
as Little Girl
Cameron Perry
as Guest
Mike Smith
as Super Freddy
Wally George
as Himself
Nicholas Mele
Ron Armstrong
as Hot Seat Band Member
Ted Nugent
as Hot Seat Band Member
Marc Siegler
as Thirty-Something
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Critic Reviews for A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

All Critics (31) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (21)

  • The series here takes a depressing nosedive into zero-degree filmmaking.

    Apr 5, 2010 | Full Review…

    Jonathan Rosenbaum

    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic

  • Fifth edition of the hit Nightmare series is a poorly constructed special effects showcase.

    Mar 26, 2009 | Full Review…

    Variety Staff

    Variety
    Top Critic

  • A flimsily plotted but visually impressive addition to the endless Freddy Krueger saga.

    Jan 26, 2006 | Full Review…
    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • A genre film that won't totally insult your intelligence or your eyes.

    Aug 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/5

    Caryn James

    New York Times
    Top Critic

  • As for Englund, he still looks as if he's been working at Domino's too long, and he still sounds as if he's stealing his material from Don Rickles.

    Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…

    Richard Harrington

    Washington Post
    Top Critic

  • Freddy needs to become a daddy in this gory and gothic sequel to the nightmare adventures that seemed impossible to end. [Full review in Spanish]

    Jan 26, 2019 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

    Federico Furzan

    Cinelipsis
View All Critic Reviews (31)

Audience Reviews for A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

  • May 20, 2016
    Very poor fifth part as nothing is new, Scary or done well, The plot yet again just got too silly to take seriously, The acting was very bad, Even Robert Englund as Freddy was just poor and underused, The series Should of Finished After Part 4 and now it's just turned into a joke.
    Jamie C Super Reviewer
  • Jan 09, 2016
    Look if you've made it this far in the series then you probably won't mind it. But it is pretty bad.
    Super Reviewer
  • Sep 28, 2013
    Freddy's past is revealed, but it became sort of a black comedy which was a huge change in the tone. The acting was good and special effects were top notch but it suffered from a bad plot and script.
    Sylvester K Super Reviewer
  • Oct 30, 2012
    A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child takes the series to new lows, and lacks all of the charisma and cleverness that made the series so popular. In this ridiculous tale, Freddy Krueger is able to resurrect himself and return to his killing spree by using the dream state of an unborn child, who he corrupts with the souls of his victims. The plot is atrocious, and isn't helped any by the pathetic performances. The special effects are also pitiful, and don't carry any sense of menace or terror. Cartoonish and formulaic, A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child is an insult to fans and to the horror genre itself.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
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