There will be no spoilers in this review for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie yet.

On October 27th 2023, the FNAF movie debuted to the public. As of writing this review, the movie holds an extremely high 85% rating with the audience yet a low 26% with critics. (via RottenTomatoes) Honestly, I get it.

As someone who grew up with FNAF and has a deep rooted nostalgia associated with everything: I will be a bit biased in my takeaway but will do my best to align myself in the center.

What I liked
• The movie remained true to the lore with surprisingly pin-point accuracy.
• The animatronics and prop work used was beyond tasteful and added a charm that a pure CGI approach wouldn’t accomplish.
• Mat Pat’s appearance proves that the movie was made for fans, and that wins all the brownie points with me.
• The writing surpassed any expectations I originally had for the movie. There was a lot of depth, the characters felt justified, and the adaptation used just enough creative liberties to keep the plot interesting without watering down the lore.

What was missing
• The gore was comparable to a Halloween party, and I feel like the PG-13 rating allows for much more then what was given.
• Complicated scenes in the movie were “implied” rather than animated or shown. When heavy movement was required of the animatronics they would use cut aways. The CGI used on top of the animatronics was minimal, which added charm but left a lot to be desired.
• Mikes god damn brother. There was zero need for him to play as large of a role in the movie as he did. It reminded me of Katara from Avatar with her mom and her necklace. Despite needing him to make the plot work, his appearances were drawn out.
• It was pretty cheeseball. HOWEVER, I think the corny-factor made the movie even better. Understandably, this factor played out better for fans then for critics.
Lastly, the ending was pieced together. It feels drawn out, and the confrontation was rushed.

Overall, the FNAF movie presented a well done rendition. On a scale of 10, I give it an 8.5/10. If I wasn’t a fan and had no idea what to expect, I’d probably assign it a lower score around 6/10. The climax and final moments of the movie left a lot to be desired from fans and critics alike, with many citing it felt rushed. Despite its flaws, this movie far exceeded my expectations, and I’d gladly watch it a second time.