Josh Hutcherson. © 2023 Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, and Scott Cawthon Productions. Directed by Emma Tammi.
Watched it at AMC Theaters
Can You Survive The Five Nights? After waiting for almost a decade, it's finally here. Bouncing from different studios and directors, was it worth the wait? As a fan of the video game franchise, this was worth the wait. As a casual viewer who doesn't know the lore and even the general idea of this franchise, proceed with caution. Yet, you will find some enjoyability with the adorable killing animatronics. This is another win for the continued success of video game adaptations and this is another stepping stone for more future projects to come. Join me at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and let's see the animatronics up close in person. Well, not that up-close or you will get bitten. Story: The film follows Mike, a young man who is troubled to find a job after a work incident. While Mike is taking care of her little sister Abby, Mike finds a night guard shift that will help pay his bills while still taking care of Abby. However, during this night shift, he witnesses unusual events that may connect to some murders in the past. With the help of Vanessa, a local police officer, they uncover clues that may be connected to Mike directly. This video franchise will always have a special place in my heart. Seeing the iconic animatronics come to life in live-action is fantastic. The detail of these animatronics is astonishing. Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy are all amazing and sometimes, deadly adorable. The production design done by Marc Fisichella alongside his art crew really captured the design of the pizzeria with many details and easter eggs that fans will catch on to. From the little posters to a huge animatronic, they really made sure that the world of FNAF really captured the essence and atmosphere from the games to film. Plus, since the game is very lore-heavy, they eased on the lore easter eggs so new fans can join the mystery. But what mystery? Well, the mystery being unfolded in this film is interesting because not only does it take story elements from the game, but it mixes them with new and easy FNAF lore elements that make the plot easier to follow. In the original game, it's just a click-and-point game but there was hidden lore when you started to get through the five nights. However, the game progressed into a lore-driven game, and taking those elements into cinematic elements was going to be difficult. Seeing this story now come to life on the big screen was worth the risk as a fan of the game. The story was unique in terms of branching Mike's story which makes his personality and character more deeper. We not only get to see him working at the pizzeria surviving the night during his night shift, but we get to see his personal life with his young sister. Plus, the big thing that really made me care about his character is the custody battle between him and his aunt. That small story really comes into full play with the main story of the film and it adds character to Mike's personal struggles. Plus, Mike's trauma which we explore through flashback sequences helps connect the lore and the main plot throughout the film. The film takes unique routes within its screenplay and it's done mostly well to help new audiences explore this unique story and lore. Besides Mike's story, the supporting characters are solid. I really liked Vanessa's storyline which intertwines the whole story. Abby's storyline was good but it really focused on her relationship with Mike. There is one side character that I want to mention but for the sake of spoilers, he's important throughout the arc of the story. Overall, the story lands on its own by providing its spin on the lore and the plot doesn't get sidetracked which is a major positive since many video game adaptations feel off from that.
Speaking of video game adaptations, this is another win for this type of adaptation. As an OG fan of the game, this is a great translation from game to film. From the set design, animatronics, characters, and lore, it successfully builds off what the game established. What more video game movies are doing recently is taking the source of the game and completely translating it while adding a spin to it. The Super Mario Bros successfully does that and now with FNAF, filmmakers are actually respecting the source material. In addition to that, they are building more story and deep personalities to the characters or adding more world-building. Before studios started to take notes on this, filmmakers created their own stories and it pissed off many fans from the games they are adapting. However, if the story is entertaining and engaging, it works like Sonic The Hedgehog. With FNAF in particular, it adds on new material from the established material from the game. Plus, the biggest factor to include is that the original game creator, Scott Cawthon, is part of the entire production process. He's credited as a writer and producer. This is huge for an indie game developer to oversee the project, yet, give the creative freedom to Emma Tammi on the project. Overall, it creates a great relationship between the filmmaker, the creator, and most importantly, the fans. In the end, it worked and it brought many great easter eggs, twists, and changes from the lore onto the silver screen, and added story elements to make the characters have more depth. It's a huge win for this type of adaptation.
At the beginning of the review, I praised the film's production design but the other technical elements in the film that I didn't mention are also solid. I really liked the cinematography in this film. It's interesting they went for a 1:85:1 aspect ratio. The music is also excellent and I liked the opening theme of the film. What I'm surprised by is that they edited this film in under six months because the film wrapped in April. Kudos to the editors behind this film. It's a solid Blumhouse technical film and with the budget being under 20 million dollars, it looks very good. I hope the film gets a budget bump. Even with all of this praise, I still have some critiques that many will agree on. One of the biggest things that disappointed me as a fan of the game is the horror aspects of this adaptation. In the first game, the atmosphere, sound design, and even the coloring of the game felt very haunting and real. In this adaptation, the horror wasn't sparking. I didn't feel scared at all. I just felt excited. While having that excitement is positive, I didn't feel any huge tension with the animatronics on screen. The final act saved that heavily which sucks because I wanted to experience and feel that horror in the first two acts, not the final act. Some of the side characters were a bit underwhelming, especially with the aunt character. While that wasn't the most important storyline in the film, I feel like they could've improved it well with its writing. Even some of the character's arcs could've been sharper. Also yes, there are plot holes that could be answered in the sequel. But the biggest thing that I wish they could've tweaked is the story structure of certain characters. Especially with the main villain and I feel like the build-up was good, but it didn't feel impactful. Even as a fan of the game who knows the villain of the franchise, I felt like his entrance wasn't that impactful. Plus, the story was predictable and easy to figure out. Yet, I was still engaged and enjoying seeing these characters interact with one another. I still found enjoyment with these flaws and I hope they take them seriously for the next entry in this new franchise. Beyond the terrifying adorable animatronics, this is a great addition to the video game film adaptation collection. It successfully adapts what worked in the game and translates it into film. The characters are solid. The technical elements, especially the production design are great. The directing is very solid and overall, they made this film fun and engaging for new audiences and fans of the franchise. This is another win for Blumhouse and I cannot wait to spend more nights with these killer creatures. I hope Springtrap isn't at the next location.
Now Playing Only in Theaters and on Peacock!
Vizeit Score: "B"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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Gideon Adlon. © 2022/2023 Peacock, Blumhouse Productions, and Outerbanks Entertainment. Directed by John Hyams.
Watched it on Peacock (Written on Letterboxd)
Quick Review: This was quite a thriller film. Also a bloody one as well. I really had a good time with this film. It was bloody entertaining with a lot of suspense and thrills. The cast is good but what stands out are the chase scenes. Those scenes are the strongest and the film went full-on “Dead by Daylight”. The opening scene was very strong and the world around the pandemic was very interesting. I love how they make fun of the COVID rules, people wearing masks, and trying to quarantine. The social commentary here is interesting but it didn’t quite catch up as what I hoped for. It’s a fast-paced short film and it gets right to its point. But I wished we explored more of these characters. Especially for the protagonist's friend who is here and cares about the environment during COVID. It could've been fleshed out but I liked the character DJ. There was quite a good dramatic moment there. The killer's motivations were weak and while it connected to the COVID subject, it was just a quick exposition. I wish we could’ve seen the party scene to make it more dramatic and get a point of view of the Killer. I didn’t care about the emotional stuff with the villain trying to reach his goal but their morals on COVID rules were hilarious. I felt like the COVID environment felt nostalgic in a bad way but it didn't quite hit me. It felt a little bit too late and too early. But it still added dramatic and funny moments to the film and its social commentary. It’s a film that will get laughs and thrills but remind you that COVID is still out there infecting people. Unless you have the vaccine but no one will tell. Nonetheless, it was pretty entertaining from start to finish with some good old bloody violence. If you need to quarantine, well this is the film to watch while being sick. Get it? Ok, this review is over, I'm going to eat chips now. Now Streaming Only on Peacock Vizeit Score: "B-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr.
Violet McGraw. © 2023 Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Atomic Monster Productions, and Divide/Conquer. Directed by Gerard Johnstone.
This Isn't Just A Toy, It's Part of The Family. (First 2023 Theatrical Film Release Review!)
Starting 2023 off with a horror film about a killer doll is pretty interesting yet concerning. But after I got out of the film, I thought this was already peak horror cinema. It's the first great 2023 film of the year and it's a campy blast from start to finish. I don't know what are my exact thoughts about this film but I can tell you this, get ready to cringe and laugh. It's mildly bonkers but entertaining. If you saw this film because of the brilliant marketing, well, you are not alone. As a film critic, I will try to watch every film but for this film, should I because it's that good. Yes, I will review it for the film bros and the Megan fans including Jason Blum. I want that Five Nights at Freddy's film right now but I will write this review while I wait. Join me with Megan and let's see if she's Chucky's sister or girlfriend. Story: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that's programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate, and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences. If you thought this film was going to be a serious horror film, well it looks like you didn't see the trailers. It's a campy fun horror flick that will make you laugh, cringe, and question what's going on on screen. M3GAN really hits the campy elements of a horror film and utilizes every cliché and convention into crazy or dumb mode. It's basically Child's Play but way more goofy yet keeping it serious with its satire about robots and society. About its satire, it's well done by getting its symbolism across and the first 2 minutes of the film are just golden. Just those two minutes at the beginning of the film alone confirm that this film will be campy and fun, but with a twist of horror. I really liked the satire and the performance from Ronny Chieng as the "villain" of the toy company is hilarious. I love that the film explores how the company works and what kind of toys they are aiming for. Plus, the use of AI and corporate greediness is very funny. The satire works here and it gets absurd throughout the film. Before we get to the main villain, let's discuss about the cast. The cast is good. I thought Allison Williams was decent but seeing her serious face during serious scenes is hilarious. I don't know if she's scared or serious. I can't distinguish the expressions. The little girl Cady played by Violet McGraw is not that bad. She did a good job with her performance. While she's annoying at first, I bought her performance as an annoying child being attached to this creepy doll. The other supporting cast are decent and they do their job in their roles. The story itself is simple with the plot being serviceable. It's very predictable and there are moments that are unexpected like the final fight in the film. But there are some interesting plot moments that really caught my attention. It's more of a spoiler but it's pretty funny and expands a little bit of the lore through this world. But the plot itself is fine and nothing special. But the world around it including Megan herself is what really makes this film stand out including its directing.
The directing is very solid. I really liked how the film takes its serious moments really seriously and when the goofy or horror moments arrive, that's where the film gets crazy. The campy vibe is all over the place and I love that director Gerard Johnstone balances those tones while still focusing on the campy tone of the film. The office scenes are more interesting in my opinion and it helps build more of the world which I really like. There are some interesting shots in the film and the production itself is very solid. I can tell that they put money into the production design and the robot itself. The cinematography is decent and the VFX is pretty great on the Megan robot. Overall, the production is very solid but we cannot forget Megan herself. Megan is really hilarious and scary. She's more friendly during the day scenes but when it's night, shit gets serious and I like her character overall. She's not possessed which is a major change and it's controlled by AI and how AI sees the world and protects a person with deadly force. It's more about exposing AI and how AI can be dangerous and not ready for today's society. I really liked the performance of the actress who played Megan and she really made the film more fun. Her weird scenes including the hallway scene are where the film says "f**k it!". I really liked this new killer doll character and I hope we get more adventures from her. This is her film and she killed it! But there are problems in this film that held it back to become an instant horror classic.
The film suffers from a major element which is the PG-13 rating itself. While this film got away with the bloody violence, it didn't feel bloody enough and I wished they kept the R-rating. It would benefit not just the film but the character itself. The tone can stay the same but I wanted to see more violence and also more edgy jokes in the film. I would say this film could've used more craziness in the film. I felt like there wasn't enough of the craziness I was hoping for with a high kill count. It would've made the film more fun and bloodier. Plus, there were some horror moments that felt very cheap unfortunately which leads to this critique which is that it uses a lot of conventions and cliches. I was baffled by it but since it's a campy movie, I will let it slide but I'm tired of that stuff now. The major thing holding back would be the bloody violence and craziness but it was still an entertaining film. This film was bonkers with a great villain, funny moments, and a clever satire on today's marketing and technology. These are the types of horror films that I miss and horror can expand with any sub-genre. This film proves that campy horror films are here to stay and being that it's original, it's a plus that horror has returned to take over Hollywood once again. 2022 was just the beginning for horror and it continues in 2023 with this fun campy horror film! Really enjoyed it and I hope Megan doesn't sneak into my house and turn my PS5 into an AI-killer machine. Now Playing Only in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "B" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. |
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