If you’ve never heard of ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ – you’re not alone!
Apparently, it’s a videogame franchise that’s gained a sort of cult following since its debut in 2014.
On a personal note, I’ve never played any of the games and found the concept of murderous animatronics pretty played out since I grew up watching the “Terminator” series unfold in 1984.
Now, I’m sure there are plenty of sticklers that point out the differences between cybernetic robots and animatronics.
But both are essentially still just machines driven by computer coding for the most part.
Freddy’s differentiates since the animatronics are moved by the ghosts of dead children and only creepier in that they’re supposed to be cute and cuddly animals instead of “people” robots.
Still, armed with the most basic understanding of Freddy’s, I went to catch the film last week in part to fulfill my need for horror after Halloween mostly because it’s the only other new movie in our theater.
I don’t think it’s really that groundbreaking for the animatronics outside of practical effects, but if you’re in for some creepiness that will make you not want to go to “Chuck E. Cheese’s” anytime soon – Freddy’s is definitely the movie to watch.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is an American supernatural horror film based on the video game series and franchise of the same name created by Scott Cawthon.
Directed by Emma Tammi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Cawthon and Seth Cuddeback, from a story by Cawthon, Chris Lee Hill, and Tyler MacIntyre.
The film stars Josh Hutcherson along with Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, Lucas Grant, Kat Sterling, and Matthew Lillard in supporting roles.
Clocking in at 109 minutes long, the movie is rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, and language.
At Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a once-successful but now abandoned family entertainment center, a night security guard desperately attempts to flee from an unseen force, but is captured and strapped to a table.
An animatronic mask filled with sharp, rotating metallic gears is lowered onto his head, which mutilates his face and kills him.
Sometime later, mall security guard Mike Schmidt (Hutcherson) is fired after assaulting a negligent father whom he mistook for a kidnapper.
Mike’s career counselor Steve Raglan (Lillard) offers him a job as a night guard at Freddy’s.
Though initially reluctant, Mike accepts after social services threaten to take custody of his younger sister Abby (Rubio) and pass her over to their estranged aunt Jane (Masterson) who desires the custody’s monthly payments.
On the first night, Mike falls asleep and dreams about his brother Garrett’s (Grant) kidnapping.
He meets five children who witnessed the crime but they run away when he approaches them.
On the second night, Mike has the same dream, but when he attempts to confront one of the children, he is attacked, causing him to awaken.
Mike meets police officer Vanessa Shelly (Lail) who notices his wounds and applies bandages to them.
Vanessa shows Mike around the restaurant and tells him that it closed during the 1980s after five children disappeared there.
Meanwhile, Jane hires a gang which includes Abby’s babysitter Max (Sterling) to vandalize the restaurant in order to get Mike fired and hasten Jane’s gaining custody of Abby.
Overall, the film relies heavily on jump scares and isn’t very memorable for me, but, if you’re a fan of the franchise or just curious
I think it’s better on the big screen than streaming it at home on Peacock.
