MAKING A VIDEO GAME MOVIE THE RIGHT WAY
Live-action game-to-film adaptations have been known to be controversial (see the infamous 1993 Super Mario Bros., for example). When it comes to centering an entire film and marketing campaign around a franchise with a pre-established and dedicated fanbase, there’s a right way and wrong way to go about it. A film that doesn’t respect the original material or capture what it means to its fans, can easily feel like an inauthentic cash grab.
Now, enter Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNaF).
With the original game being 9 years old, the FNaF franchise has become huge, including 20 games and, of course, a diehard fanbase. With entire YouTube channels gaining fame for FNaF gameplay and theorizing on the game’s elaborate lore, this film has been highly anticipated since its announcement eight years ago. Would it flop like other video game movies before it, or would it live up to the hype?
I went into the theatre quite blind. Having seen the 2021 film Willy’s Wonderland with a similar haunted setting, where Nicolas Cage beats the shit out of animatronics without speaking a single line, I was expecting something similar. Where I thought I would get a horror-heavy story about surviving bloodthirsty machines, I got something completely different. And it was a refreshing surprise.
The film follows Mike Schmidt, played by Josh Hutcherson, a man in his mid-20s struggling to make ends meet and raising his little sister alone, while stuck in memories of his past as he tries to uncover the truth about his missing brother.
Amongst a great cast, Hutcherson definitely carries this film with his acting talent. Since the Hunger Games films were popular during the same era as FNaF, this is an example of perfect casting. Those of us who grew up on FNaF and the Hunger Games may now be in a similar chapter of life as Mike and this relatability makes it all the more captivating.
The movie itself is fun. I was hooked once I saw the iconic setting come to life, complete with the computer monitor and flipping through the greyscale security camera feed. It’s also jam-packed with Easter eggs, from lore-related posters in the background and The Living Tombstone as the credits rolled, to MatPat’s cameo saying his iconic “it’s just a theory” line, which I didn’t see coming and the audience loved.
However, if you’re not already a fan of the games, as the Fulcrum previously discussed, I don’t think this film’s going to turn you. Though entertaining and faithful to the franchise’s lore, the plot can come across as far-fetched and unconventional. Also, characters such as Vanessa sometimes feel more like plot devices and could be better fleshed out.
But other than Markiplier not having a cameo, my biggest complaint is the light use of horror. With the entire premise of the original game surrounding jump-scares and fear, I was left wanting some more. Instead of the eerie, shadowy figures of the animatronics from the games, the movie’s tension quickly evaporates through its use of well-lit long shots of the animatronics, that don’t seem quite so ominous this way. That said, the fully practical animatronics they used look great.
All things considered, the FNaF movie demonstrated its genuine love and dedication to the fans, incorporating game references and fan theories, which was fun to see. It’s true however that the lore-heavy and fan-centered content may be off-putting to people who are new to the franchise, which also explains the love-it-or-hate-it reviews.
If you’re seeking a rush of nostalgia and a film that marries horror and lighthearted humour, I’d recommend Five Nights at Freddy’s. I just know this film will be dissected by fans for years to come, and I’d be excited to see an eventual sequel.
