Ever since the success of the first Five Nights at Freddy’s game, created in 2014, the idea of a movie adaptation has been a running gag in the gaming community for almost a decade. Rumors of its production and it being stuck in “development hell” were spread until Blumhouse Productions and the games’ creator Scott Cawthon started posting teasers online about its gradual development. Released in theaters Oct. 27 almost nine years later, there is finally a “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie.
It’s questioned why anyone would stay five whole nights in an old pizzeria occupied by murderous animatronics, but “Five Nights at Freddy’s” explains this through Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), who is a mess and a half. He has a horrible track record of getting fired from jobs, a traumatized past he forces himself to relive each night through dreams and a little sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), to take care of.
And now, Mike is in desperate need to look good for Family Court when his aunt Jane (Mary Stuart Masterson) attempts to gain custody of Abby. Having lost his little brother to a kidnapper years ago, Mike is adamant about keeping his little sister safe, even if that means taking the night shift at a near-abandoned restaurant — offered to him by job counselor Steve Raglan (Matthew Lillard).
The animatronics themselves are the obvious stars of the film and exist as much more than villains. The movie does a good job of walking the fine line between making the animatronics violent and, at the heart of it, the main attractions of a child-centric entertainment venue. There is an oddly touching scene when Abby draws a small heart and gives it to Bonnie, who, even through the limited range of a robotic suit, seems happy to be loved. However, for a PG-13 movie, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” has some pretty gruesome kills. The security cameras are implemented to great effect when aunt Jane hires intruders to trash the place under Mike’s watch, and said intruders are all hilariously, brutally picked off in fashions reminiscent of the game.
But where the movie falls just slightly short is, ironically, in its antagonists. Much time is necessarily spent on the other villains, like aunt Jane and the mysterious, blonde-haired ghost boy (Grant Feely), whose actor wonderfully portrays a hurt yet sinister child with his own intentions. Regardless, Steve Raglan really needed a larger presence. He appears at the start to counsel Mike, but for those unfamiliar with the story prior to the movie — or even those familiar — he does not haunt the narrative enough for the climactic end to hit its mark. Lillard is phenomenal as Raglan, who is equal parts charismatically goofy and threatening, but what the movie truly lacked was just one more phone call between him and Mike.
Furthermore, there is the shaky character of Vanessa Shelly (Elizabeth Lail), a local police officer who takes an overenthusiastic interest in Mike and Abby’s lives. She is a wrench thrown awkwardly into a well-oiled machine and the initial impression she makes is less than stellar. It may have gone over better if there was more of a focus on Vanessa being a reluctant villain herself.
When it comes to fans, both the new and the old are rewarded for looking closer. There are so many callbacks to the games that they infuse themselves into the atmosphere of the movie and become more than nostalgia. The small “It’s me” messages in the background, the Balloon Boy jumpscares, a hidden dog animatronic suit in the back room; these things all combine with the amazing ’80s arcade set and real animatronic suits to make an immersive world that’s both entertaining and creepy.
The plot is not lost by the wayside in favor of catering to the fandom either, because Mike’s emotional arc as he learns to communicate with Abby and the missing children is nicely executed. Hutcherson sells a character who is flawed and obsessive, but also compassionate and deeply protective. And that’s not to mention Abby herself, who is endearing to watch open up during the events of the film.
People talk about replayability when it comes to video games, but “Five Nights at Freddy’s” the movie has plenty of good reasons to watch it again, if for the unique ambience alone. It may not stand out particularly for people who are not aware of the source material, but it’s a solid experience — for kids and grown-ups alike, where frights and fun have come to life.
