Five Nights at Freddy's 2: An Array of Animatronic Antics

They Always Come Back

Grab a flashlight and check those surveillance cameras, because one of the most popular horror franchises of modern times is back on the big screen in a bold new way! Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is a sequel to the hit 2023 horror film, Five Nights at Freddy’s, itself an adaptation of the beloved video game series of the same name. Ever since 2014, this franchise has taken the world by storm, largely thanks to its fascinating concept: being trapped in a Chuck E. Cheese-type restaurant during the night shift, where the animatronic characters come to life and brutally kill anyone they encounter. 

Added in with positive reception from critics and a massive presence on social media, this series quickly gained traction and a dedicated fanbase, resulting in multiple sequels, books, toys, and – eventually – its own film adaptation. The latter saw particularly impressive success, grossing almost $300 million worldwide despite negative reviews from critics. Now, the inevitable sequel is out, and ready to rock the house as it tracks similar results to its predecessor, currently tracking to make around $45 million in its first weekend alone, despite continued poor reception. 

I consider myself a casual fan of Five Nights at Freddy’s; I love the first five or six games in the series, as they masterfully build tension with an isolated setting and grand overarching story. I’ll even admit that I did get some enjoyment out of the 2023 film, especially with its practical effects and setting. But otherwise, I have not kept up to date with the newest video game installments, nor do I think the movie is absolutely perfect. 

Nonetheless, I still had hope for this sequel, especially since its plot is mostly inspired by the second game, my personal favorite in the series. Plus, with the practical effects and creature designs still in the equation, and much of the cast and crew returning, I had hoped that this movie could at least be serviceable in terms of entertainment. 

Optimistically, I headed to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield and secured a ticket to a packed house of Freddy’s fans. As the curtain closed on the animatronics, I was left with one question: did this movie satisfyingly bring Five Nights at Freddy’s back to the big screen, or was it as pleasant as being spotted by a killer robot?

Winding the Music Box

Set one year after the events of its predecessor, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 sees the return of Mike Schmidt, a former security guard for the malevolent children’s restaurant, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. He and other survivors – including his sister Abby and police officer Vanessa Shelly – struggle to move past the first film’s traumatic events, which saw the pizzeria’s antimatronic mascots come to life and cause havoc. One night, Abby receives an ominous message which lures her back to the animatronics – now communicating through polished toy models – leading to a dark and twisted series of events as new mascots cause more lethal mayhem, and the dark origins of Freddy’s are revealed.

Directed by Emma Tammi – who also helmed the first film – the movie sees much of the original cast reprise their roles, including Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard. New additions to the ensemble include Skeet Ulrich, Mckenna Grace, Wayne Knight, Megan Fox, and Matthew “MatPat” Patrick. 

As much as I wanted to enjoy this movie, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t leave the theater a bit disappointed. There are many great aspects in this movie, some of which could even surpass its predecessor. But simultaneously, I was left frustrated by how much wasted potential this movie beheld, which predominantly came from the screenplay. Much like the first film, this sequel takes the core concept of the original game – surviving deadly animatronics while lore builds surrounding Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza –  and tries to expand upon it with the film universe’s, but the way it did so led to one of the most sloppy plots I’ve seen in a movie this year.

This largely stems from how the movie tries cramming so many plot details into its runtime, to the point where it just became hard to keep track of everything. There are many concepts explored in this film, including the dark past of Freddy’s and tragedies connected to it, the inner workings of the animatronics and what controls them, the protagonist’s struggles to overcome their trauma, and Abby’s reconnection the animatronics – who she had become friends with in the predecessor. Mixed with other plot details and references which serve as callbacks to the first film, the story feels muddled as it struggles to balance out all these key details into an hour and 45 minutes.

Not helping the matter is that there are many story-related issues throughout the picture, including plot holes and sudden conveniences – especially in the third act. As a result, the screenplay commits one of my personal biggest pet peeves in movies: it sets up way more questions than it can answer. I won’t go into spoiler territory, but let’s just say I was left puzzled by the onscreen events on multiple occasions, particularly once the animatronic antagonists break loose. 

Not helping the matter is the characters, who frequently make questionable and even dumb decisions throughout the entire runtime. I understand that many of these choices are made as a means of progressing the story, but they still left me rolling my eyes on multiple occasions, especially with how many of the subsequent outcomes could have been easily avoided had an extra second’s worth of thought been put into the situations at hand. This is primarily the case with one decision which occurs early in the movie – one that essentially sets the entire plot in motion – where I was left facepalming in my seat by the circumstances at hand, and how preventable the consequences could have been.

Even the characters themselves aren’t very strong, as they all suffer from their own questionable choices and lack of chemistry among each other. One of the things I liked most about the first Freddy’s movie was the dynamic between Mike and Abby, as their connection felt genuine and they shared a lot of screentime. Here, they barely share the screen with each other, and when they do, the dialogue is either generic or lacking, which results in mostly one-note interactions. 

This also applies to the relationship between Mike and Shelly, both of whom lack any sort of chemistry as their bond is never really developed, and most of their lines together resort to telling each other of their thoughts directly rather than showing any sort of real connection. It leads to some of the most wooden writing I’ve seen in any protagonists this year, as they both struggle with their communications throughout the runtime, all culminating into an exchange at the end of the film which left me more confused than fulfilled. 

I do not blame the actors for this issue, as I found the majority of them to be enjoyable in their roles. I particularly enjoyed Hutcherson’s skeptical approach to Mike, Rubio’s enthusiasm as Abby, and Ulrich as the mysterious Henry, who has a tragic connection to Freddy’s. But as far as their overall resonation goes, the film failed at getting me to care about any of them, leading many non-animatronic scenes to feel slow and bogged down by their lack of chemistry.

Menacing Mascots

Even with all the issues this movie has, I have to give credit where it is due: from a technical standpoint, this film absolutely nails it. It efficiently captures the aesthetic of its environments, especially the Freddy’s locations. Interestingly, the film implements two different pizzerias into its plot: the one from the previous film – which has completely deteriorated and fallen to bits after the first movie – and the original location which reigned in the 1980s. 

I was highly impressed by the production design of both these areas, especially the classic model, which combines a black-and-white checkered floor with numerous attractions like a river ride, arcade games, and a big performance stage at the forefront. This area also utilizes unique props – particularly an open hallway with no doors and a gigantic gift box in the basement – which stay true to the spirit of the original game, and provide a unique visual appeal. 

Further amplifying the atmosphere of these locations, and the film in general, is the musical score – helmed by returning composers, the Newton Brothers. Every track in this movie is fitting with the overall tone, with many of them implementing a techno-like beat which feels retro and catchy, fittingly in line with the antimatronic characters and arcade-like locations. Some tracks even implement an eerie chorus of children, who provide an unsettling melody while adding to the overall ambiance of the music. This ultimately leads to a score which stands out from other horror films, as it fits with the film’s overall style and boasts plenty of fun tracks to keep viewers engaged.

But without a doubt, the best aspect of the film is the practical work on the mascots, in both looks and functionality. This movie’s practical puppet work was done by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop – who also worked on the predecessor – who let the antagonistic animatronics stand out as some of the year’s finest visual work. Not only do the designs perfectly match the ones in the game, but they feel intimidating through their massively tall structures and constant walking, with each stomp echoing eerily through the speakers. 

The scenes when the killer mascots are onscreen – whether it’s the shiny toy models, dilapidated prototypes, or an unnerving marionette – served as the highlight of the film, as they provide entertaining moments and commendable visual work, while staying true to what made the games special in the first place.

Faulty Wiring

Despite its incredible technical aspects, it’s hard for me to ignore the many faults the film possesses, which go beyond its screenplay and characters. It also bleeds into the tone, which unfortunately lacks any sort of tension, largely due to its structure. In addition to being convoluted, the core plot is also quite predictable, as many of the points it sets up have very foreseeable outcomes. 

This also applies to the tension, as it was very easy to point out how certain scenarios were going to play out, and how specific plot beats would tie back to the overarching conflict. Because of this, the tension takes a backseat as there is very little subversion of expectations or raising of stakes, resulting in many underwhelming scares and outright slow character interactions.

The tension especially falls victim to wasted potential in the third act, where more is revealed about the roles of the protagonists in the overarching scheme of the picture, complete with a big reveal regarding a certain supporting character. The big problem with this setup is that the plot twist the movie tries to set up involves a character who barely had any sort of onscreen presence – they were only in one scene beforehand and was not mentioned by anyone else throughout the movie. It ultimately leads the reveal to feel underwhelming, made even more ridiculous by how suddenly the plot thread comes to an end.

Speaking of conclusions, the overall ending of the film also annoyed me, largely due to how abrupt it felt. Without going into spoiler territory, I will say that the ending of the film was much darker compared to its predecessor, as it concludes on a much more ambiguous note. Though I do respect the ambition of what it tried to do, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed, and even a bit gobsmacked, because of how it was executed. Right when something major happens and the film starts crescendoing, it suddenly cuts to black and starts rolling the credits. I understand what the creative team was trying to do, but it resulted in the ending feeling more like needless sequel-bait than a profound, unforgettable conclusion.

In general, it feels like the film’s screenplay is more devoted to showcasing references to other works in the series rather than finding innovative ways to build tension. Though I will admit that many of these references are fun callbacks to the games, it feels as though the movie’s emphasis on them interferes with the tension it promises to set up. I wish the film had devoted more time to fleshing out its story and ideas, as it would have let the tension shine through just a bit more. But alas, the film instead decides to utilize an Easter egg hunt to keep viewers enthralled, in turn sabotaging its tension and impacting the overall fright factor.

Clocking Out

Overall, though I can commend the eye-catching production design, strong music, and fantastic practical effects, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 suffers from a convoluted plot, poorly written characters, lack of tension, and abrupt conclusion which ultimately prevent it from being great. Though I can respect the positive aspects of the feature, its faults ultimately leave it as one of the most frustrating films I’ve seen in some time.

If you’re a fan of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise – whether it be the games or the first movie – the horror genre, or similar video game adaptations, you might get more of a kick out of this movie than I did. If you’re interested, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is currently conjuring up a scare in cinemas across the nation, including at the local Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield. But for me, the film suffered in its execution, leaving it as quite the disappointment – especially when compared to most other movies I’ve seen this year.

I really wanted to have fun with this movie, but its merits are ultimately bogged down by faulty coding which greatly tampers with its performance.

My Rating