10 Genius Movie Moments That Came Out Of Nowhere

7. Microsleep - A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street
Warner Bros.

2010's remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street is a largely uninspired effort that's mostly only remembered for Jackie Earle Haley's rock solid performance as Freddy Krueger, taking over from the great Robert Englund.

On a narrative and filmmaking level, though, it's doing very little of interest at all. That is, save, for the single compelling new wrinkle the script introduces - microsleep.

As our embattled heroes Nancy (Rooney Mara) and Quentin (Kyle Gallner) attempt to stay awake in order to avoid being killed by Freddy, they begin experiencing microsleep - sudden bouts of sleep in the middle of their waking life which leave them vulnerable to Freddy even when awake.

It was a fun way to ramp up the stakes and give Freddy a fresh method of terrorising the heroes, while also being somewhat rooted in the actual science of sleep.

Apart from this, though, there's little reason to give much consideration to a remake that was so keen to just go through the motions.

 
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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.