“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” while far from perfect, is a great movie to cure your post-Halloween blues, especially when you’re not ready to turn on your favorite Christmas flick.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” is an adaptation of the video game franchise originally created by Scott Cawthon. If you were in middle or high school during the 2010s, you have probably played them or know someone who has. The film is directed by Emma Tammi and distributed by production company Blumhouse, famous for their catalog of horror hits that include “Get Out” and “M3GAN.”
The film follows Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), who is worried about losing custody of his little sister, Abby (Piper Rubio). With the advice of career counselor Steve Raglan (Matthew Lillard), Mike becomes a security guard at the now-abandoned Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, a Chuck E. Cheese-like entertainment center with arcade games, a ball pit and animal animatronics: Freddy, a smiling bear with a top hat; Bonnie, a guitar-playing rabbit; Chica, a duck who carries around her sidekick, Mr. Cupcake; and Foxy, a fox pirate. As Mike dreams about a traumatic childhood experience, he realizes that a dark past hangs over the pizzeria and its seemingly loveable animatronics. With the help of police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), he is determined to unmask these secrets before it is too late for him and Abby.
Cawthon said his movie was made for the fans, and Tammi, Blumhouse and Cawthon were definitely successful in that aspect. I’m a fan of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” games, and as I sat in the theater, I could not wipe the smile off of my face as the audience cheered and laughed at some on-the-nose references to the games and its fanbase.
Beyond its references, though, were other strengths, especially the characters. I loved every performance, my favorites being Hutcherson’s and Rubio’s. I have a soft spot for sibling dynamics in movies, and the relationship between Mike and Abby was very heartwarming. Hutcherson is convincing as the tired, parent-like older brother, and Rubio is perfect as an innocent child who just wants to spend time with him. Once you discover their family’s past, their bond becomes much more meaningful, and I was hoping that he would retain custody of her.
My favorite scenes, though, featured the animatronics. The animatronics were designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the same company that created the iconic characters of “Sesame Street.” Their loveable, friendly appearances, yet uncanny behaviors, are perfect, especially when they interact with Mike, Abby and Vanessa. Their scenes range from creepy to hilarious, and there is never a dull moment when they are on screen.
Unfortunately, I did have one issue with “Five Nights at Freddy’s”: its inability to fully capture the atmosphere of the first game. The games have always done a great job at balancing its silliness with eeriness. Obviously, none of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” games are necessarily terrifying, and I did not expect the film to be that much different, but there is an eeriness to the gameplay that I felt was missing. In the game, you play as a security guard and must keep an eye on the pizzeria without ever leaving the security room. The confinement — flipping through cameras and being jumpscared by the animatronics as they stand outside of the doors — makes you feel helpless and adds to the horror.
In contrast, the majority of the film takes place outside of this dreaded room. I did not mind the scenes outside of the abandoned pizzeria, particularly the ones in Mike and Abby’s house, as they added more depth to the characters. However, when the characters are in the pizzeria, they are usually exploring other areas, from the hallways to the arcade. While it was nice to see Mike and the other characters interact with the setting and animatronics more, it loses an aspect of what makes the games great. The movie didn’t need to take place only in the security room, but spending more time there would have made the dark reveals much more unsettling.
Despite this issue I had, though, watching “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was one of my favorite viewing experiences of the year. I can’t guarantee you’ll like the movie, especially if you’re not a fan of the original games, but I can guarantee that it is perfect to watch with your friends for the performances, animatronics and humor. And if you don’t want to pay the extra money to see the movie in theaters, it’s streaming on Peacock, so don’t miss out on one of the biggest and most hilarious movies of the year.
