Nightmares gives a unique twist to several urban legends, succeeding in bringing them into the modern world of the 1980s. The “Bishop of Battle” segment in particular is great, weaving in the parental concerns about video games into the mix and creating a genuinely disturbing mini-movie.
The movie as a whole isn’t a great addition to the genre but does possess several positive attributes worth mentioning. Nightmares gives audiences great performances from Raines, Estevez, and Henrickson, as well as raising some hairs on the backs of necks with a handful of well-timed jump scares.
As an anthology film, Nightmares rates far under Tales from the Darkside and The Vault of Horror, but it’s mild violence and gore make it a reasonable movie option for younger or more squeamish audiences.
