(Spoiler Warning)
“I always come back” are the last words that leave the man’s lips as the last spring lock impales his skin. The faint smell of blood lingers in the air as his body collapses to the cold, checkered floor. A chill runs down the spines of everyone in the room as the fox animatronic impales his hook into the “golden bunny’s” shoulder. He gets dragged away slowly by the four robotic animals into a back room, never to be seen again… for now.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is an immersive game series that captivates player’s attention with jumpscares, new games, and its complex lore. The game’s popularity skyrocketed in 2014 from the moment it was released by Scott Cawthon with the original FNAF (Five Nights At Freddy’s). While the number of players increased, studios noticed, and decided to make a movie for the rapidly growing fan-base. The film went through a long process of actually being approved and produced, starting two years ago due to script changes. The confirmed filming began on February 1st, 2023. When the widespread fans saw the trailers and the confirmation of the movie being real, everyone was thrilled.
Cawthon played a considerable role in this movie by targeting the movie toward the fans. Most fans find it reminiscent of their childhood, almost like their dreams have been completed. Although there were many good aspects and Easter eggs throughout the movie, there were many flaws.
Starting with the fear factor: the FNAF games are notorious for their sudden jumpscares from the variety of animatronics. However, throughout the movie, there are no genuine jumpscares. There might be a few unexpected plot twists, but ultimately they were “built up” and “kind of anticlimactic,’’ said Dominic Rodrigues, a junior at Rocklin High School. Cawthon’s original game series capitalized on his signature use of abrupt scares and sounds, however, the movie lacked that. Apart from the occasional Balloon Boy ‘startle’, the horror element of the movie was scarce. This was due to the marketing aspect of the movie, as the game’s main demographic was children.
A greater negative element has to be the recent character Vanessa. Fans only know her from the newest FNAF game, Security Breach, which is where she made her first real appearance. The addition of her character in the first movie threw off the entire timeline and lore. Vanessa appears to be a police officer, helping the main character Mike (who isn’t Michael Afton) through his security job. It’s mysterious how she knows intricate secrets about the restaurant until the viewer later discovers that she is the owner’s daughter. Her connection to Michael Afton does not correlate to the original games, and her death isn’t truly accurate either. All of this leaves the fans with one question, “How will they incorporate her in later movies and still make the lore accurate?”
The final mistake covered, a less significant but missing component nonetheless, was toward the end. A monumental moment popularized by fans is when Springtrap delivers the famous phrase, “I always come back” in the Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator game. While many viewers liked the fact that this line was included in the movie, a great number of them disliked the way the actor Matthew Lilard said it. In the FNAF game, he uses a raspy tone while enunciating certain words to build suspense. Contrasting in the movie, it sounds like Lillard blurts it out, seeming rushed and not as thrilling as it originally was.
Positively, the FNAF film did succeed in capturing a number of characteristics that satisfied viewers and enhanced the cinematic experience. The production design and meticulous attention to detail are noteworthy strengths seen in the movie. The intricate design and motions of the animatronics gave dimension to the Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza universe, drawing visitors into the terrifying environment they have grown to adore from the games.
Many fans also valued the film’s dedication to maintaining some of the original lore, despite some of the more notable differences. Although concerns over lore consistency may have been roused by Vanessa’s character introduction, as mentioned previously, it provided a chance to re-imagine the FNAF universe, incorporating more enigmatic and intriguing elements. Enthusiasts who have extensively examined the game’s backstory have discovered fresh viewpoints to analyze, which has sparked conversations regarding the possible paths the film may take in subsequent releases. These delve into the story’s depths and provide a new perspective on the well-known yet mysterious tale, keeping FNAF fans interested and anticipating more.
Unrestricted Internet Access: The Big Three
You are hidden beneath your blanket, illuminated by the screen of your computer. The night is young, interrupted occasionally by your parents moving around and quickly feigning sleep. This is the average bedtime routine for the majority of 2000s kids; you were bound to nothing in the unrestricted world of the internet web. This universal childhood memory, and perhaps getting your devices confiscated if you were inexperienced, is a necessary component to growing up. However, being enabled to such a vast range of information could consequently raise red flags to parents.
Most children congregated to YouTube, as it was one of the dominating entertainment sites of its generation. While material could vary from DIY, vlogs, and lifestyle like MyLifeasEva, Alisha Marie, LaurDIY, etc., it also extended to the realm of video games. The most influential creators of this era ranged from Markiplier, CoryxKenshin, MatPat, DanTDM, and Popular MMOs to other channels like Smosh and Good Mythical Morning. This is where you would be exposed to popular games of this age, including Scott Cawthon’s infamous Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise. The games’ graphic jumpscares and violent tendencies may have posed a deterrent to parents inclined toward their child’s safety, but in the camouflage of the night, gameplays and series of walkthroughs were available to all viewers. Whether it be physically playing the game or simply watching other people play, this integral step in adolescence was nostalgic to many.
Arguably, Markiplier, CoryxKenshin, and MatPat (otherwise known as The Game Theorists) reigned YouTube during this era. Orlando Martinez, a junior at Rocklin High School, said, “I more, like, watched [Five Nights at Freddy’s] on Youtube. Like, watched other YouTubers play it… Either Markiplier or CoryxKenshin. You know, people like them.” MatPat’s intricate conspiracy videos followed the sequence of the Five Nights at Freddy’s games, providing Cawthon’s “lore” to make sense of the others’ gameplays. Dominic Rodrigues, another junior at Rocklin High School said, “Basically all of elementary school and middle school was me watching Markiplier and Game Theory… Seeing MatPat [and] CoryxKenshin in it– just like, dream come true.” Most children can reminisce in these stars’ videos, owing their youth to the creators’ old playthroughs and theories.
