Though its obvious Nightmare on Elm Street 3 comparisons are undeniable, Bad Dreams is a neat little horror flick that's surprising only in the fact that it actually tries to be scary. With inventive use of music underlying the entire flick, the technical aspects of the picture are something to admire not only because they were attempted, but also because they're so effective. The fake-out fright technique does tend to get a little stale by the end, but it doesn't sour what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish. Sadly, not as much can be said about the script, whose most jarring problems stem from unbelievable situations within the mental institution setting. In addition, star Jennifer Rubin is more than a bit stiff in her role, taking her whole emotionally scarred performance to a whole new wooden territory. Main baddie Richard Lynch makes for a creepy villain in and out of juicy burn-faced makeup, while the rest of the recognizable cast does a fine job for what they're asked to do. Not recommended for those who love massive body counts and inventive kills, Bad Dreams might be considered a rip-off Freddy flick, but those who bother to go back to it will find that its ambitions far outweigh its rather derivative nature.