The big-screen debut of Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) movie made quite a buzz. To be honest, all FNaF games have a special way of scaring players. They're set in a spooky pizza place with eerie robots that come to life at night. In the game, you can't fight, run, or do much. Your only option is to try to stop the robots from reaching you. This creates a feeling of helplessness, just like in a real horror game.
But here's the big question: Did the Five Nights at Freddy's movie do justice to this iconic game?
Five Nights at Freddy's Review
Making the FNaF game into a movie turned out to be not-so-easy, after all. Even though it has Jason Blum who's great at making low-budget horror flicks, the movie just doesn't seem to get the excitement going for horror fans. Director Emma Tammi also wasn't able to give FNaF's unique creatures their time to shine.
Maybe it's because the core plot got tangled up in the screenplay. Instead of centering the story on Freddy Fazbear and the company, the movie shifted its focus to Mike. In the game, he's simply the night watchman at the eerie old pizza place. But on the big screen, he became a security guard with an unexpectedly mysterious backstory.
Fans were likely anticipating the movie to bring FNaF's menacing monsters to life. However, the film chose to introduce family secrets, ghosts, and a cop loaded with information. This reduced the animatronic creatures to cool-yet-scary supporting characters.
When it comes to staying true to the game, they nailed the musical dance routines and the appearance of each FNaF monster. However, these characters aren't as fear-inducing in the film since they roam freely and come with a rather somber backstory. Unlike the game, where their origins are shrouded in mystery, and they jump out at you unexpectedly. This approach, unfortunately, pushed the expected jump scares in the movie to the back seat.
Another disappointment was missing the mark on making the most of its intriguing setting. Rather than capitalizing on the potential of an abandoned pizzeria with nostalgic charm, the movie left it feeling dull, gloomy, and utterly unmemorable. On the positive side, it did manage to serve up a handful of exhilarating moments.
Thankfully, the actors rose above the shortcomings of a lackluster script and uninspiring direction. Josh Hutcherson, in the role of Mike, adeptly conveyed his character's bewilderment. Meanwhile, other cast members, such as Lial, valiantly attempted to navigate the convoluted plot to make sense of it all.
Should you watch Five Nights at Freddy's movie?
Ultimately, the FNaF movie falls short of the game. The game's simplicity and fear factor are top-notch, but the movie layers on too many extras. If you're seeking that authentic FNaF scare, you're likely to find it in the game.
However, if you strip away the game's plot, the movie might make more sense. It might not be overly terrifying, but it could manage to startle you occasionally. While you might not be as enamored with the entire storyline, it could serve as a decent warm-up for the true Halloween movie experience.
Grade: C
Five Nights at Freddy's is in theaters and on Peacock now.
Follow Us
Subscribe