Fans of the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game franchise have been eagerly awaiting Blumhouse‘s live-action film adaptation. Now the first reactions to Five Nights at Freddy’s are here – though they might not be what you’d expect.
As you can see below, a number of people have had the opportunity to see the film via early screenings. They’ve continued to share their reactions to these screenings on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. For the majority of users, however, it looks like they were disappointed with the film.
Here are their reactions to Five Nights at Freddy’s:
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S is easily the worst film I have seen this year.
— Jasmine Valentine (@thejasvalentine) October 25, 2023
#FNAFMovie might be the most uneven film of the year. Absolutely nothing like it was sold, going off on tangents at every turn and barely coming together at the end. What should probably have been a simple horror tale is made into a convoluted PG-13 mess.⭐️.5 pic.twitter.com/5U0T6Nfpeh
— Theo (@theofisher82) October 25, 2023
I can’t speak about #FiveNightsAtFreddys as a fan of the game but as a film – it’s a completely flat and jumbled misfire. While I appreciated the practicality of the animatronics and some of the music choices were cool, the problem is the story – and that it barely has one. The… pic.twitter.com/ZAYaHmH8oc
— Luke Hearfield 🎃 (@LukeHearfield) October 25, 2023
One fan offers a more mixed reaction, that while they admit the film’s story is “a bit slow,” it does appear “to be a treat for dedicated fans.”
Five Nights at Freddy’s – An electrifying experience packed with heart-pounding jump scares. While I found the story a bit slow, it’s sure to be a treat for dedicated fans. #FNAFMovie #FiveNightsAtFreddys pic.twitter.com/NLOuPUpdU1
— TheBrothersGeekOutPodcast (@thebrosgeekout) October 25, 2023
The following is much more positive, that while noting there are flaws, seems to consider the film “a practically perfect; satisfying, fun & thrill worthy good time at the movies.” He also praises the performances of Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard:
#FiveNightsAtFreddys leaps above its flaws to deliver a practically perfect; satisfying, fun & thrill worthy good time at the movies.
Hutcherson is great! & Matthew Lillard’s Afton is FANTASTIC with ‘Stu Macher’ vibes appropriately sprinkled across his performance.#FNAFMovie pic.twitter.com/V93XZAODmu
— MCJL (@TomMCJL) October 25, 2023
Of course, these are only early reactions to the highly-anticipated film. It’s possible that the film could be better received by mainstream audiences. And, if nothing else, some of these reviewers do seem to have positives about the film – so that could be a likely outcome. We’ll just have to see how the premiere does and how word-of-mouth travels.
Emma Tammi directed Five Night’s at Freddy’s. The screenplay for the film was written by video game creator Scott Cawthon, Emma Tammi, and Seth Cuddeback.
The film stars Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Matthew Lillard.
Fans will be able to see the film for themselves via theaters and Peacock on October 27, 2023. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates on Five Nights at Freddy’s and any other horror projects as we have them.