Naty's Spooky Corner

Willy's Wonderland

★★★★★

Sunday, September 19, 2021, 11:11 PM

That’s right ya’ll it's time for yet another Nic Cage movie, because what else did we need in this wonky year that is 2021?

Willy’s Wonderland is a 2021 action horror film that stars our beloved Nic Cage, who plays a quiet drifter who is tricked into cleaning an abandoned family entertainment center that is haunted by eight, yes eight, animatronic characters. Fueled with the promise of having his precious sports vehicle being fixed and with the wise advice to take breaks every so often, our temporary Janitor begins to do just that, except for one small detail, those animatronics? They’re totally hell bent on killing him. Locked into the center with the eight malevolent beings, our character must fight to the death to survive. The only caveat is - he isn’t the only person who is locked in the building that night, nor is he the only one out looking to rid the world once and for all of the hideous animatronics. (This plot may sound a little bit familiar to all horror lovers who are well acquainted with Five Nights at Freddy’s, because oh yeah, it’s essentially the same storyline.) Now while this plot may not be the most original, the cinematronic style and approach most definitely is.

Unlock some spoilers ahead……

As some of you may know, I am without a doubt, a loyal Nicholas Cage fan (but don’t tell anyone please, I definitely have a reputation to maintain). What makes Nic Cage great in most of his films are his kooky facial expressions and his ability to curse and swear the night away. What this film does is bring up the crucial question of “What kind of character would Nic Cage play if he were unable to do either of these things”? I know….terrifying right? I myself was curious to see how such a legendary actor would pull off playing a character who does not speak A SINGLE WORD during the entire film. And honestly? It made the film 10,000% better. At first while watching the film, most viewers who are unaware of this decision are sitting on the edge of their chairs, waiting, hoping and wishing that the Janitor utters a simple word. But he doesn’t. At all. Throughout the entire film. And he makes it work. The fact that the main character is solely committed to cleaning and kicking ass serves to amplify the character’s skill and also a more personal side to him. It begs the question, does he choose not to speak because he is shy and that is in his nature, or does he avoid speaking and making direct eye contact with the other characters because he is a non-verbal autistic person? Believe what you might, but we can all agree that it makes for a very, very fun character to see on the screen.

Along with our heroic protagonist, there are six other local dummies that have sworn amongst themselves(? Honestly, this part isn’t super clear since the characters aren’t the most important.) that they and only they can rid their small mountain community of the evil that lurks behind an incredibly ugly stuffed weasel and his seven other equally ugly, murderous buddies. And since they’re not the most important, hijinks ensue, until of course, our other protagonist who had had a previous unspoken connection with Nic Cage is the only one to survive. Now, the reason why I did want to mention these other characters is because they play a role in the overall aesthetic of the film. As gruesome as their deaths may have been, they cement the fact that this movie is a true 80’s horror homage with a couple of not so discrete trope references. From the busty blonde character to gets inexplicable turned on from being in the central murder room, to the cheesy and flimsy satanic ritual explanation of why each of the animatronics is blood thirsty and evil to boot, and even to the duexs ex machina concept that makes Nic Cage’s character the only person in the entire world able to kill such morbid machine, it’s all tied together in a way that feels familiar and fresh at the same time.

Overall, what makes this film so freaking fun is that it knows exactly what it’s about. It’s a film that’s well aware of how ridiculous its premise is, and it runs along with it in the most spectacular way ever. From making the main character not speak a single word yet be able to have an incredibly epic celebratory dance, to the soothing cleaning montages that soon end up being for nothing, this film is absurd, weird, and exactly what’s needed every once in a while.

Overall rating: 5/5
Spooks: 2/5

No comments made yet!

Be the first to