4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S

Home » 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S

Dec 18, 2023 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

It’s April of 2000. Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson) was recently fired from his position as a mall security guard, and needs to find a new job fast, or he could lose custody of his younger sister, Abby (Piper Rubio). His Aunt Jane (Mary Stuart Masterson) has already been circling the wagons, saying that Mike is unfit to raise an unwell child like Abby, who spends most days just drawing and talking to imaginary friends no one else can see. So Mike meets with career counselor Steve Raglan (Matthew Lillard), who offers him a position as the night security guard at the abandoned restaurant Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. It offers terrible hours and even worse pay, but beggars can’t be choosers.

When he was 12, Mike witnessed his younger brother’s abduction, but neither Garrett nor the man who took him were ever found. Mike has been studying ways to manipulate his dreams, hoping that if by revisiting his memory of brother’s abduction, he will be able notice some new detail to help identify the man who took Garrett. He soon discovers that there is something unusual about Freddy’s. At Freddy’s, the same dream Mike has been having for the past decade has now become more vivid and has changed slightly—he now sees five other children who weren’t there before, who may have witnessed the abduction, and could provide the clues he’s been desperately looking for. However, the children appear to have some supernatural connection to Freddy’s, and tragic events that happened there a a decade earlier. Other strange, unexplained occurrences also start to happen at Freddy’s—such as the theme restaurant’s animatronic band coming to life and going on a murderous rampage. Mike also crosses paths with police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), who’s patrolling the neighborhood, but seems to know a lot more about Freddy’s than she initially lets on. Can Mike connect the clues and figure out who took his brother? Will he survive his five nights a Freddy’s?

I wasn’t really familiar with the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise before checking out this film—I had never seen or played the original game, so I can’t really comment on how faithfully the film adapts the story followed in the game. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this movie—I was assuming it was going to be more of a slasher flick, with the animatronic band going on a killing spree. While there are certainly some elements of that in the film, it is not the primary focus of the story, or purpose of the characters. (If you want to see that, then check out The Banana Splits Movie). Instead, FNAF is much more of a drama/mystery/thriller, exploring how several characters are trying to move on from trauma they’ve experienced in the past, and as this plays out, things take a very interesting, supernatural turn. While there are definitely some tense, thrilling moments, and a fun recurring jump scare involving a clown, I wouldn’t really consider this to be a horror movie. The film is rated PG-13, so there isn’t a lot of graphic violence and gore, and any killing or violence is either hinted at with sound or a bloody handprint on a door, or takes place in the shadows. The violence is extremely tame when compared to something like Saw X, and is something a family with teens could enjoy together. There are also many lighter moments and laughs mixed in. Overall, the film tells a complete story, while also leaving things open enough for a continuing franchise.

Universal’s 4K release looks and sounds great. The picture is very clean, with a solid level of detail throughout, even during the film’s darker sequences (Freddy’s has a power issue, so there’s plenty of those). The film has a rich color palette, especially once we get into Freddy’s, which helps to set the right tone for each scene. The use of practical effects and puppeteers are really successful in making the animatronic band come to life in a very realistic-looking way. The audio track provides clear dialogue throughout, and the animatronic band’s ominous and creepy rendition of “Talking in Your Sleep” sounds great. The audio track also does an excellent job of giving the the rain and thunder overhead a very immersive feel.

The 4K release includes both 4K and Blu-ray discs, which are packed on either side of a standard 4K keepcase, along with an embossed carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for a 4K MA digital copy of the film as well as a code to redeem for Universal All-Access Rewards points on the reverse side. Both discs contain the same bonus material—three behind-the-scenes featurettes totalling about 17 minutes.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:49:26)

2160p / Widescreen 2.00:1
HDR10
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

1080p / Widescreen 2.00:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 1/31/2025):

4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)
Universal All-Access Rewards Code (Offer may not be valid after 1/31/2025)
Code can be redeemed for points towards a free digital movie via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. The selection of a dozen free digital titles usually changes around the first of the month.

Extras:
The same bonus material can be found on both discs. Play All, or select from:

Five Nights at Freddy’s: From Game to Big Screen (7:20)
The cast and filmmakers talk about the ensuring that they capture the look and feel of the game while also telling a brand new, relatable story. The cast also talk about working with the director. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Emma Tammi, producer Jason Blum, makeup department head Ashley Levy, director of photography Lyn Moncrief, co-writer Seth Cuddeback, executive producer Beatriz Sequeira, YouTubers Rhys Williams, Ryan Bushell, Lewis Dawkins & Ryan, and stars Josh Hutcherson (“Mike”), Matthew Lillard (“Steve Raglan” / “William Afton”), Piper Rubio (“Abby”) & Elizabeth Lail (“Vanessa”).
Killer Animatronics (5:51)
The cast and filmmakers talk about designing, creating and working with the puppets, and how many people it takes to bring these characters to life. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with Chica puppeteer/puppet build crew Amanda Maddock, director/co-writer Emma Tammi, puppet build supervisor/lead designer & wrangling supervisor Robert Bennett (Jim Henson’s Creature Shop), lead animatronics wrangler Wolfgang Criswell, puppeteer captain/Freddy Fazbear puppeteer Artie Esposito, Freddy Fazbear suit performer Kevin Foster, Bonnie suit performer Jade Kindar-Martin, Chica suit performer Jess Weiss, and stars Josh Hutcherson & Matthew Lillard.
Five Nights in Three Dimensions (4:23)
The cast and filmmakers talk about the design of the set, taking the 2D video game world of Freddy Fazbear’s pizzeria into to the real world, and bringing the characters out of the security room. They also point out some of the Easter eggs in the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Emma Tammi, production designer Marc Fisichella, director of photography Lyn Moncrief, and stars Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Matthew Lillard & Josh Hutcherson.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

Five Nights at Freddy’s takes what could have been a more generic slasher movie, and gives the thriller an interesting, deeper dramatic storyline with a supernatural twist and some laughs. While I haven’t played the original game myself, it feels like the filmmakers have turned this into a labor of love, making sure to gave the rabid fan base the adaptation they deserve, throwing in some fun Easter eggs to reward them. Universal’s 4K release looks and sounds great. The supplements are entertaining, though a little thin—I would have loved a commentary or some comparisons with the game. But that said, this is certainly worth picking up, especially for fans of the franchise, based on the presentation and film itself. And for those who are still on the fence, the movie is currently streaming on Peacock.