From Sept. 18-Oct. 16, we’re looking back at the nine films of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. Next up is the fourth film, “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master” (1988):

One-liners without laughs

The first three “Nightmare on Elm Street” films are all mildly interesting in their own way, but now we get into rough sledding with “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.”

Freddy’s (Robert Englund) dialog consists of so many one-liners that Brosnan-era James Bond would think it’s too much, yet director Renny Harlin (“Die Hard 2”) and the four writers aren’t able to wring any laughs. The special effects are worthy of Fangoria cover stories, but in service to nothing.

Lisa Wilcox plays new lead Alice, although she doesn’t achieve that status until the midway point as she takes over the Dream Master mantel from Kristen (Tuesday Knight, replacing Patricia Arquette from part three).

I realized by the end that Alice is absorbing the abilities of Freddy’s victims, but the only one that matters is her brother Rick (Andras Jones) because he’s a martial artist.

The final showdown between Freddy and newly minted martial-artist Alice looks nice, set in a gloomy church with greens and browns that remind me of “Buffy’s” first season.

Recycled concept

Aside from Alice’s under-explained absorption power, “Dream Master” reuses the same idea as the previous installment, “Dream Warriors.” It merges the three survivors from that movie with a new group of Freddy-fighters that somehow manages to be even blander.

The filmmakers do everything they can think of to establish Alice’s friendships – her mirror is covered in photos of her pals – but she’s such a milquetoast that nothing registers. She’s pining after Dan (Danny Hassel) but the writers aren’t all that interested in following through.

It’s worth noting that the cast of Freddy fodder includes two black teens – Roland (Ken Sagoes, back from part three) and Sheila (Toy Newkirk) – and they aren’t related or a couple, so that’s progressive for the time.

It’s been said that this is Freddy’s saga, not the teens’, but “Dream Master” can’t even be appreciated on that level because Englund’s character is pure camp by this point.

He uses every attack as an opportunity for one-liners. Sucking the life out of a teen: “Wanna suck face?” Attacking a teen through a waterbed: “How’s this for a wet dream?” Crushing a weightlifter with a barbell: “No pain, no gain.” And so forth.

Are you ready for Freddy?

While watching the film, I mentally noted that the special effects are solid (as has been the case throughout this series), but without an original plot or people worth caring about, it’s hard to remember details of the technically strong aspects. One that stands out is a teen’s transformation into a giant bug, although I can’t recall the story context.

This is the most soundtrack-heavy (as opposed to score-heavy) entry so far, giving “Dream Master” points for 1980s nostalgia. Sinead O’Connor, Blondie and Billy Idol provide audio accompaniment to the (supposed) tension, and Englund performs as Freddy in The Fat Boys’ end-credits rap “Are You Ready for Freddy?”

“Dream Master” is a rough one. The original Final Girl, Heather Langenkamp’s Nancy, was killed off in the previous entry, and neither Kristen nor Alice can fill her shoes. Freddy is the star (indeed, Englund is top-billed, something unheard of for the various Michael Myers, Jason and Leatherface actors).

But he’s both silly and invincible (killed off with finality in “Dream Warriors,” he’s resurrected here, then killed with finality again, but I no longer believe it). It strikes me that even Englund might be a little bored now. I certainly am.

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My rating: