In 2014, a simple point-and-click indie horror game titled Five Nights At Freddy’s was released and exploded with popularity. The game gained much of its traction from Youtube “Let’s Plays”, in which popular gaming youtubers like MatPat and Markiplier would film and post their gameplay and reactions for their millions of fans. 

Now, over nine years later, Five Nights At Freddy’s is a successful video game series and media franchise, with a large and passionate fanbase. The franchise consists of over 9 games, a novel trilogy, and as of last week, a full feature film adaptation. The film was released in the U.S on October 27th in theaters and on Peacock simultaneously.

Though the movie may be based on the original Five Nights At Freddy’s game, it becomes quickly apparent within the first 15 minutes that it takes a more unique approach to the story.  We are greeted with characters that have been established in the games for a while, such as Mike Schmidt, the playable nightguard in the first game, amidst a cast of some new characters that contribute to the distinctive plot of the movie. 

To those who have been fans of the franchise for a while, the story the movie tells and the way it tells it might seem unfaithful to its source. As a fan myself, I feel like the movie perfectly caters to both those new to Five Nights at Freddy’s, and those who’ve been interested in it for a while. 

Most of the earlier FNAF games had limited game mechanics and objectively repetitive gameplay, with the story being told very sporadically. For as difficult as adapting this story into film would seem to be, the movie manages to tell it in an interesting, quirky way within a consumable run-time, while also incorporating the vital aspects of the lore of the series. 

The horror of the movie, however, failed to leave as good of an impression. The Five Nights At Freddy’s game series was fortunate enough to be able to utilize the looming threat of jumpscares to make for a compelling experience while playing the games. However, constant jumpscares or jumpscare baiting in movies are often seen as a lazy trope, and the film doesn’t do a great job at avoiding this. Moreover, the terror of the story itself – centered around a crazed serial child murderer – is ultimately lost, as the pacing of the film and overall structure of the plot didn’t allow for any lasting tension to be built. 

I was particularly surprised with how well the animatronics were portrayed, particularly  in their physicality, appearance, and mannerisms. The animatronics were created entirely with practical effects, which added to the more realistic aura the entire movie had. They also appeared to have more physical upkeep than their video game counterparts, which made it believable that they were meant to be entertainment for children.

Ultimately, the Five Nights At Freddy’s movie is a fun watch, one that would be best enjoyed by someone who has prior knowledge of the franchise. The soundtrack and cinematography didn’t prove to be anything outstanding, but the color palette and visuals  helped bring the movie to life, and contributed greatly to my enjoyment. Based on the end of the movie and an interesting mid-credit scene, it’s been heavily speculated that a sequel to the movie is likely. With my overall positive watch experience with this film, I would definitely be willing to give a sequel a chance.