‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ Fans Will Obsess Over this Demented, Free-to-Stream Film
I’m going to show my age here. I’m not sure I really get Five Nights at Freddy’s. I get the broad idea—animatronics are scary—and I did jump several times upon playing the first game when the series first took off, though the expansive lore eludes me. It’s fascinating, but it’s also something that undoubtedly circumvented my generation. But, hey, the Halloween Horror Nights house was cool, at least.
Still, Emma Tammi did an excellent job adapting the series as a feature film, and I’d be lying if I said the scale of the upcoming sequel didn’t intrigue me somewhat. Killer animatronics on the loose? Sounds like a good time, even if I’ll be sitting in the theater, missing the dozens of Easter Eggs no doubt hidden within. Plus, I love when people love things, so that’s why I feel it’s my duty to alert Five Nights at Freddy’s fans of an unsung short film that pays considerable homage to the series. It’s every Chucky Cheese baby’s worst nightmare, and you can catch the short streaming for free on YouTube now. Learn more about Jack Bishop & Justin Nijm’s The Hug below:
Per YouTube: A disobedient young boy runs amok in a children’s pizza arcade and soon finds himself in an awkward situation with an animatronic panda.
What’d you think? It’s always a privilege to check out the latest and greatest in short-form horror (check out some recent recs here), and I’m glad to have finally caught The Hug after missing its premiere several years ago. The short featured in Hulu’s first-ever competition that saw eight burgeoning filmmakers helm short horror stories for Halloween. Hulu only hosted two competitions, though the final block of shorts did feature Jennifer Reeder (2023’s Perpetrator), so the springboard idea really worked. Let’s celebrate indie filmmakers, yeah?
Jack and Justin haven’t yet helmed a feature, though based on The Hug, I’m thrilled for whatever future chance they get. This is short, sweet horror at its finest, tapping into primal fears (and, yes, fear of animatronics is basically primal) while delivering one heckuva jolt at the end. Fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s won’t want to miss it, especially with the sequel arriving in theaters this December. Now’s as good a time as any to expose yourself to as many killer animatronics as possible.
What do you think? Were you a fan of The Hug? How does it compare to Five Nights at Freddy’s? Are there any other Huluween shorts I should be checking out? Let me know either way over on Twitter @Chadiscollins!
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