“It succeeds at what it wants to do, but what it does most people didn’t want.” Those are the words of Redditor Jabbam in answer to a thread calling for honest opinions “now that the novelty for the FNAF movie is mostly gone.” Blumhouse released The Five Nights at Freddy’s film five months ago in October 2023, and it’s fair to say it’s not exactly what most fans of the franchise wanted, though some certainly love it.
As a huge fan of the FNAF games, my personal response to the question posed in the Reddit thread by Vanilla_Ice_Best is that the FNAF movie doesn’t have enough horror. Some of us at PT are horror fanatics, and to say that the film underwhelms us is an understatement. However, the nods to the fandom and the easter eggs are great, and we certainly agree with Reddit user illusoryMechanist, who’s willing to forgive how mid the movie is due to not only the aforementioned fandom references but for the fact that “Lillard had an amazing performance.”
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the actor is fantastic in the role of William Afton. He fully embodies the notorious villain. Nonetheless, his performance doesn’t stop people like jonboyo87 from saying that “it’s fun. It’s also probably the least scary horror movie I’ve ever seen. Disappointed overall.” I already said my piece on the horror factor, but once more, where is it?
As for other opinions on the FNAF movie, Reddit user temubrin thinks that “from a fan’s perspective it’s at least an 8/10, but I realize that it’s extremely mediocre for any non-fan,” a slightly different take to other fans who feel nothing but disappointed – that’s the good thing about movies though, so many different opinions coming together. I do have to admit that I like the film a bit more due to being a fan who appreciates all the little things the film has to offer.
Speaking of which, it’s clearly not just me or the PT team that feels that way, as numerous comments throughout the thread point out that “many of the references could not be understood by someone who is not a fan of the games,” though a visit to YouTube can solve that, as there are many content creators out there who piece together and explain the lore. GameTheory is a good one to look at, especially as the host, MatPat, has a cameo in the FNAF film.
There’s a wide range of opinions, some good, most bad, and a couple who just want the sequel to do better. The potential is certainly there, and so long as the next movie embraces the true horrifying nature of the FNAF franchise, it could be a winner. However, other elements, such as the writing, are what other fans feel are lacking in the first one, with some Reddit users asking for a better plot in the next installment.
Whatever happens, we know that a sequel is in the works, and I can’t wait to see what happens. Sure, I share a lot of the same thoughts when it comes to the disappointing side of the Five Nights at Freddy’s film, but I also have hope that now that there’s a foundation, the only way to go is up. Plus, I need to see more of FNAF’s Vanessa.
Should you be new to the franchise, and that’s part of why the film isn’t a favorite of yours, we can help you get to grips with the lore and the FNAF characters through our FNAF Freddy, FNAF Mike Schmidt, FNAF William Afton, FNAF Chica, FNAF Foxy, and FNAF Bonnie guides.