I’m going to feast on your face!
Year Released: 2020
Director: Kevin Lewis
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, Beth Grant, David Sheftell and Kai Kadlec
Nicolas Cage has turned into an actor who is effectively a walking meme. Whenever you see a film with his name on the cast list, you know exactly what you’re going to get, hence the phrase “peak Nicolas Cage”. You’re going to get an over-the-top performance in an out-there movie, but that is what makes it exceptionally watchable.
For example, 2018’s “Mandy” was an exceptional film, making my top ten in the year, which is remarkable given that it had the horrendously awful Andrea Riseborough in it. In that movie, Cage has a scene dedicated to showing pretty much every emotion that you can possibly imagine, and it works.
Anyway, Cage’s latest delve into unpredictability sees him step into “Willy’s Wonderland”, which is basically “Five Nights at Freddy’s” in movie form. They have denied this, but it is. Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the concept of FNAF will see that.
Plot
A man (Cage) is driving down a country road when he runs over some seemingly disregarded tire spikes. He is offered an opportunity to have his repairs paid for if he agrees to clean a long-closed children’s entertainment centre overnight. He agrees.
Everything seems fine at first, but it isn’t long before some of the animatronics come alive, attacking the drifter. He successfully subdues them, but the longer the night goes on, the more he gets attacked, and it isn’t helped when some local kids break in to try and avenge the long, violent history of the animatronic characters.
How many can make it out alive?
So, is it “peak Nicolas Cage”, or is it something completely different?
“Willy’s Wonderland” is one of those films that you just sit down afterwards and try to figure out what you have just watched. It is certainly a unique experience and one that you’re not likely to forget any time soon, but if you’re turning up for “peak Nicolas Cage”, you’re actually going to be disappointed.
Now, in terms of the type of film, yes, it seems to be a typical Nicolas Cage affair these days, but realistically Nicolas Cage is actually somewhat restrained. There is only one scene in the entire movie in which you think “there it is”, and even that only lasts a few seconds. Also, Cage doesn’t have a single word of dialogue in the entire movie, not one. It’s quite possibly his easiest payday.
Aside from that, “Willy’s Wonderland” is a film that never left me bored. At a relatively restrained 88 minutes, they do enough to keep your interest, without ever really excelling. It is a solid, albeit unspectacular time. 
That’s not to say that there aren’t some odd choices. It is noticeable on several occasions that they have squashed a wide image, with characters seeming like they’ve suddenly lost half their body weight in a matter of seconds. There are also more lens flares than the average JJ Abrams “Star Trek” flick.
There are also quite a few plot holes that I can’t really go into without spoiling the ending, or some key plot aspects, but again, I can’t stress this enough, this was a fun movie.
Oh, and I don’t care what they say, this is 100% a “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie.
Summary
Perhaps this is a bit of a generous approved stamp, but the thought of turning it off never entered my head
and it was a generally enjoyable watch. The 88-minute runtime helps with this as, realistically, there isn’t any filler.
It has to be said that “Willy’s Wonderland” is never going to win any awards, or enough enter the discussions of good 2021 movies, but overall, it’s decent enough.
“Willy’s Wonderland” is currently available to rent on iTunes.
Sorry, never heard of it! 