The Five Nights at Freddy’s movie (FNAF) has been in development since 2015. It is a highly anticipated horror film based on the popular video game franchise. Chris Columbus directs the film, and the film follows a security guard as he uncovers the sinister secrets of a pizza restaurant’s animatronic animals. The film boasts a talented cast and has gained a devoted fan base, making it a thrilling addition to the horror genre.
With the movie having such a devoted fanbase, the film left many fans distraught or rejoicing with the new adaptation. Junior Bones Walfish felt the movie’s plot was “easier to follow,” especially for “people who knew less about the games.” This statement appears to be a recurring theme throughout the film’s plot. Kayla Ambroise, a junior, similarly stated that the “movie was able to make the story of FNAF understandable even to people who didn’t know the lore.”
Five Nights at Freddy’s follows distinct universes in video games and books, so many fans weren’t surprised when the movie also followed another lore. Junior Sam Sauter gave insight into that, expressing how “even though it wasn’t very much like the games, it was similar to the books and gave a whole other piece of information.” This statement holds with critical differences and easter eggs throughout the movie.
One of these fundamental differences was Vanessa. Vanessa stood out to many viewers because, in the games, Vanessa is a beta-tester who follows the orders of Glitchtrap, a digital virus, whereas, in the movie, she was William Afton’s daughter. As presented, crucial differences helped viewers confirm this would 100% be a different lore to the previous storylines. In the film, there were also many easter eggs, one from famed FNAF theorist MatPat. MatPat only had less than 30 seconds of screen time at Sparky’s Diner. That didn’t stop fans from noticing his character Ness’s name tag, referencing a video he made about Sans from Undertale.
Additionally, Sam noticed that the “diner being named Sparky is a reference to the dog,” initially a hoax animatronic created through Tumbler that later appeared in the movie. Sparky, a fan-made character, making an appearance was important because it marked the impact and strength the fan base itself has on FNAF media.
Apart from some of the Easter eggs and differences in the movie, this film presented many outstanding performances from the actors and animatronics. Junior Natalie Davis pointed out one thing that stood out about its animatronics. This thing is that “they weren’t CGI…but actual animatronics.” Upon revealing the movie’s $20 million budget, Bones Walfish mentioned that affording lifelike animatronics added authenticity to the portrayal. The portrayal of the animatronics captured the personality of each of the five children caught in them. It gave viewers mixed feelings. Naomi Vance, a sophomore, indicated the difference between the video game portrayal and the movie. She mentioned, “The way they acted was a little odd because, in gameplay, we don’t see that.” Bones also noticed this and added that “in the games [the animatronics] are not given any of those childlike qualities.” However, the movie added youthful qualities, characterizing them as the souls of the children they once were.
The movie’s childlike elements carry into the horror, containing minimal gore. The lack of gore in the film disappointed horror fans, despite the bloody elements in its lore. While discussing a movie, Natalie expressed her disappointment that “it wasn’t scary enough.” However, she also pointed out that if the film had a higher rating than PG-13, many people who wanted to watch it would be unable to do so without a parent or meeting the age requirements. Naomi pointed out that the film was already too scary for most kids, providing a different perspective on the age rating. She added, “Why not just add gore and give the fans that have played since the game release a real horror movie experience?” Both of these statements highlight the lack of horror in the film, leading enthusiasts like Bones and Kayla to categorize it more as a thriller.
Many people were dissatisfied with Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) being labeled a horror film when it is actually a thriller. In addition, Scott Cawthon, the creator of the FNAF video game, designed the movie as a sequel, which is one reason for the current dissatisfaction. Naomi found the film “semi-satisfying” and felt that it did not meet expectations, likely due to the “many plot holes” that Bones Walfish pointed out. Fans invested their time and emotions into the story but were left with unanswered questions, which can be frustrating. Given the unresolved issues, it’s understandable for them to feel partially satisfied with the sequel.
Despite these mixed reviews, most of the audience would recommend the movie. Not only because it’s FNAF and caters to the fans but because, as Natalie mentioned, “if you don’t watch it, you’ll miss out for the rest of your life.” FNAF has embedded itself in pop culture, and not watching it would be missing out on the memes, edits, and discussions. Seeing the characters you’ve grown to love from the books and games brought to life on the big screen is a thrill. So, to miss out would mean to miss the excitement of watching it as a fan and thrill seeker. But that’s just a theory…a film theory.
