Five Flabbergasting Nights at Freddy’s
Boys and girls from around the world know the friendly yet frightening face of Freddy Fazbear from several games and now a movie. The Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF) franchise began August 8th, 2014, with the arrival of the first game. The game tosses the player, a night guard, into a pizza parlor. Their job is to check security cameras and close doors in order to survive until 6 AM. Upon its release, the game exploded in popularity, and now six games later it is one of the most recognizable gaming franchises of all time.
The movie offered exactly what I wanted and more. It earned over 39 million dollars in ticket sales on its first day. The movie follows the plot of the first game: a security guard who tries to survive the assault from possessed animatronics in the pizzeria. Unlike its video game counterpart the movie surprised fans with a few unique twists. Fans learn the backstory of the night guard, Mike, whose brother was kidnapped in front of him at a young age. He has flashbacks of this horrific scene, but these “dreams” become very clear when he falls asleep during his shift, which keeps him from quitting this job. The movie differs from the game in that the animatronics relate to and even protect Mike's younger sister, Abby.
The movie was good for die-hard fans and “casuals” alike for two reasons: the “hook factor” and the easter eggs appearing throughout the movie. The “hook factor,” something every good scary movie excels at, is a way to keep the audience at the edge of their seats. From the opening credits, my eyes were glued to the screen. Every scene threatened a jumpscare. The movie’s big surprise is its attention to traditional FNAF detail. The most notable is the signature humming of Foxy before sprinting down the long hallway by the office. I also appreciate the acting, which featured Josh Hutcherson as Mike, Piper Rubio as Abby, and Elizabeth Lail as Vanessa. Hutcherson is widely known for his role as Peeta in the Hunger Games’ movies, while Elizabeth Lail is recognized as Anna from Dead of Summer
My favorite part of the movie was how truly scary it was. I initially thought the movie was made for a younger audience, so I was surprised when many jumpsacares ensued. The ominous music infused the scenes with a sense of mystery.
Despite the fact I was scared out of my socks and flabbergasted by the outrageous prices of movie theater concessions, the movie was very good, undeserving of its low ratings. Whether you have never heard of Five Nights at Freddy’s, or you have been playing the games since they were released, I highly recommend watching the new film.
