The early 2010s were a great time for indie horror games. “Don’t Starve,” “Fran Bow,” “Outlast” and “The Binding of Isaac” are just a few of the popular horror games released around that time. Although, the arguably most popular (and my favorite) game released in the 2010s is the first “Five Nights at Freddy’s” game.
The gameplay was simple, but the lore and atmosphere captivated players. The story follows Mike Schmidt (the player) as he starts a job as a security guard at a pizzeria. The player has to keep possessed animatronics from killing their character.
The series grew quickly with people forming theories and trying to make sense of the complicated timeline. There are 13 games and 28 books in the franchise, and on Oct. 27, a movie was released.
The movie strays pretty far from the game’s lore, but it does so in a way that is fresh and interesting.
The plot follows Schmidt as he starts a job as a security guard for a closed pizzeria. While struggling to recover from his brother’s disappearance several years ago, he also has to battle his aunt trying to take his sister away from him. Not only that, but possessed animatronics are trapped inside the pizzeria and they’re looking for revenge on their killer.
While the movie wasn’t as horror- and gore-filled as I wanted it to be, it was still very good. The soundtrack is great and it pays homage to the ‘80s theme of the restaurant and songs made about the games. And as much as I love the original story, after nine years it’s good to see a new take on it.
Josh Hutcherson, who plays Schmidt, did a phenomenal job. His terror feels real and he brings the Mike that fans know from the games to life. Hutcherson has been an actor since his childhood. Two of his many roles are Peeta Mellark in “The Hunger Games” movies and the voice of Hero Boy in “The Polar Express.”
The movie also features two cameos of people who are extremely popular within the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” fandom. One is Matthew Patrick, better known as MatPat, who plays a waiter. He’s a YouTuber who has made theories about the games since its beginnings.
The other cameo is Cory Williams, also known as CoryxKenshin, who plays a cab driver. CoryxKenshin is another YouTuber who is known for his gameplay of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise.
The cameos, as well as several hidden references towards the games, really made this movie seem like a love letter to fans. Since the movie was only one hour and 50 minutes long, not everything in the games could be incorporated. I hope that there will be several movies made after this one to continue the story.
I recommend this movie to both fans of the franchise and people looking for a fun horror movie. If someone doesn’t know the lore of the games they can still enjoy the movie, but I recommend learning it. Overall, it’s an interesting take on a beloved franchise that honors its original.
I give “Five Night’s at Freddy’s” an 8/10.
