PG-13 horror movies are an essential part of the genre’s ecosystem.
Iron straps bind an innocent security guard to a chair.
But its no good.
The contraption settles on his face, drowning his screams under a mechanical mask.
No, Im not describing one of Jigsaws new traps inSaw X.
Part ofFive Nights at Freddyssuccess comes from the games massive following.
The History of the PG-13 Rating
The PG-13 rating has its roots in horror.
Then came Steven Spielberg.
The rating soon served an important marketing function, becoming the de facto rating for a family film.
No studio has taken advantage of this tendency better than Blumhouse, makers of the aforementionedFive Nights at Freddys.
Which is, of course, the point of horror for many.
We cheer when Freddy smashes a couch potatos head into a television and Jason teleports behind a fleeing teen.
Even aggressively mean-spirited films such as last years surprise hitTerrifier 2work best as aLooney Tunescartoon taken to the extreme.
That said, the rating can apply to films with heavier themes and more dyspeptic worldviews.
The genre is wide enough to containSawandFive Nights at Freddys.
If the latter invites people to check out the former, all the better.
