If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I think the Five Nights at Freddy’s creator should get a security system installed at his house because “Willy’s Wonderland” seems obsessed. This is one of those odd cases where this low-budget horror film likely wouldn’t have gotten any attention outside of its similarities to the Freddy’s franchise if it wasn’t for one thing: Nicolas Cage (“National Treasure,” “Moonstruck”).
Some actors have renaissance that catapult them to critical acclaim. The likes of Ryan Gosling and Matthew McConaughey went from staring in low quality rom-coms to racking up roles in independent drama and awards each year. Nicolas Cage seems to have taken an opposite turn; his career started with beloved cult films like “Raising Arizona” and awards hits like “moonstruck” and “Honeymoon in Vegas.” However, in recent years he’s tumbled into what some refer to as his “Cage Rage” era.
Over the past few years, he’s starred in horror/thriller films like “Mandy,” “Joe,” “Mom and Dad,” and “Color Out of Space” where buckets of blood or various other liquids have been spilled at his own hand. “Willy’s Wonderland” is no different; Cage is a silent tough guy who agrees to clean a run-down family pizza establishment in exchange for the money to repair his car which broke down just outside of town. It’s a convoluted set-up for an extremely convoluted plot.
That plot can’t seem to decide whether it’s trying to be serious or silly, flipping back and forth between moments where teens have sex in a room where a group of children were murdered, or serial killers involved in bloodless satanic rituals. Its overblown and clearly is just an excuse to see Cage rip some animatronic creatures apart, which is where the film is at its chest best.
Cage is a silent force of nature, patching up wounds with duct tape and constantly drinking cans of Punch soda. It’s a role that seems made for an actor who just wants to let loose and take nothing seriously. If the rest of the film had his energy, it might be a legitimately enjoyable piece of cult horror wackiness.
Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn’t have his energy. The group of kids who slowly are murdered throughout the film are just laughably bad, giving the appearance that we’re watching a Disney Channel Original horror movie. Emily Tosta (“Mayans M.C.,” “Party of Five (2020)”) Is at least trying to do something with her role. What she’s trying to do is a mystery, but she’s clearly trying. The only other actors even of note are Ric Reitz (“Drop Dead Diva,” “The Loft”) and Beth Grant (“Jackie,” “Lucky”) if for no other reason than they clearly understand what kind of material they have and ham it up at nearly every turn.
However, you don’t read a review for a film like “Willy’s Wonderland” for critiques on the acting. Hell, you might not read a review for a film like “Willy’s Wonderland” at all, but if you did, you read it to know if the gory fight scenes are worth the price of admission. In a way, yes. The lower budget has a clear effect on the animatronics and how they look; the first fight looks a bit goofy and not like anyone is actually hitting each other, but it’s clear that when the film is in Willy’s, that’s when it’s at its most entertaining.
It’s not every day you get to see an Academy Award winning actor curb stomp an animatronic gorilla with a urinal, and Cage’s wild-eyed commitment brings the absurdity to life. Really, it’s the little things that make it enjoyable. He’s on a strict timeline, so Cage’s janitor takes frequent pinball breaks and always changes to a clean Willy’s t-shirt when his gets soaked with oil and blood. These moments of weird consistency make the ride an eye rolling piece of popcorn carnage. We haven’t even touched on the color correction that would make Zack Snyder blush or the editing that feels like the editor forgets what scenes they’re editing on a constant basis.
Is “Willy’s Wonderland” a good movie? Hell no, even Cage can’t save the bizarre plotting, editing, and laughably bad acting from the teens. Sure, if you watch this movie, you watch to see Cage drink soda, kick ass, play pinball, and stay absolutely silent. Is it a bit too much to expect more from this? Possibly, but it’s not hard to see a version of Willy’s where the fun is legitimate, instead of guilty pleasured. 1/5
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