Who remembers seeing the original Wes Craven classic at the cinema? Not me, I’m 24. But I remember watching the series over and over on video (that’s right, VHS, baby! I’m with you oldies on one thing: kids today don’t appreciate where they’ve come from). Freddy Krueger is now an iconic symbol from the 80s: one of the last true maniacs that spawned from a series of franchises that helped shape the contemporary horror movie (and arguably a character no one has yet surpassed).

Some might say that remaking the classics is a bad idea. For the most part, yes: no one needs Citizen Kane remade, some classics will never die. But, A Nightmare on Elm Street is not a classic in the same sense. As such, some movies enjoy a healthy remake. And this is exactly what the new movie is: a re-boot of an old classic, updated to today’s standards.

Jackie Earle Haley plays the new incarnation of Freddy, a man condemned to death by the parents of the children he has molested. In true Hollywood fashion, Freddy haunts the dreams of teenagers, murdering them in their sleep (which, funnily enough, murders the kids in real life). There’s not much more one needs to know about the movie. It’s a remake of an original (classic), with a new Freddy and fresh victims. Seeing the original movies is not a pre-requisite for this one, but if you have seen them in all their glory, you’re sure to have a roaring good time (unless, of course, you’re like me and you saw all of the original films except for A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, because your brother told you it was crap and forbid you from seeing it. Yes, I’m 24, and he still forbids it).

A TV crew – reporter Angela (Velasco) and her cameraman Pablo – goes out on a routine job of following a fire crew as part of a reality series, titled “While You’re Asleep”, showing those jobs that are being done, well, when you are asleep. On this night the fire crew respond to a call about a woman locked in her apartment, with police already on the scene. Things turn weird though when officers break down the door and the woman starts gnawing on her would-be rescuers. Although told to shut off their camera, the intrepid reporters record it all on tape. As chaos and panic erupt, the authorities close off the building to contain the mysterious outbreak, with everyone trapped inside the apartment block.

This film goes for the look of reality TV with all action shown from the point of view of the cameraman. Be warned, there is lots of shaky cam as the cameraman runs around in fear for his life. Unfortunately, this means we are only able to see what the camera sees so you often feel frustrated by not getting the full picture. But that is the whole point. The less you can see, the more tense you become. With no music soundtrack to fall back on, the tension is created by the very real feeling that is created by the film-makers (along similar lines to the likes of The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield and, more recently, Paranormal Activity). I spent plenty of time with my eyes shut or finding excuses to leave the room. But I’m sure most of you are braver than me.