Film Critique: 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' is a chaotic, un-frightening follow-up.

Following the first film adaptation of the Five Nights at Freddys video game, the sequel attempts to expand the universe of murderous animatronic characters, but largely misses the mark. Five Nights at Freddys 2 leans heavily on the weak, unfrightening elements of its 2023 predecessor, delivering a confusing and unsatisfying follow-up.

One actor sums up the experience: I dont know what happened. I feel sick. Audiences may share the sentiment, as the film expects viewers to have seen the original before wading through its disjointed continuation of game lore, which extends even into the end credits. The movie also hints at a third installment without earning the appeal of this second one.

Director Emma Tammi returns, with a script by the games creator Scott Cawthon, and brings back the main cast: former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson, struggling with emotion), police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail, seemingly unsure of the films tone), and Mikes 11-year-old sister Abby (Piper Rubio, consistently enthusiastic). Abby longs to reconnect with her animatronic friends Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy while dealing with a hostile science teacher (Wayne Knight) and her own peculiar attachment to the possessed robots.

The film does introduce a genuinely eerie character: The Marionette, a Jigsaw-like figure with a mask and elongated limbs. Unfortunately, the filmmakers fail to use him effectively, leaving his role unclear. The moral alignment of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy remains ambiguous, contributing to overall confusion. Themes of trauma from the first movie carry over, with Vanessa, Mike, and Abby struggling to process past horrors.

The sequel piles on clichs, including music boxes, flickering lights, cracked glasses, and jump scares. Megan Fox voices Chica, though her contribution is barely noticeable. As with many modern sequels, the animatronics appear in waves and display inconsistent behavior, alternately lumbering like dinosaurs and moving with improbable speed, creating a chaotic viewing experience.

Five Nights at Freddys 2 feels more like an after-school special than a horror film, lacking genuine scares or self-awareness. Mikes question, What kind of kid would want to come here? encapsulates the films central issue. The movie, distributed by Universal Pictures, opens Friday, is rated PG-13 for violence, terror, and language, runs 104 minutes, and earns a harsh zero stars out of four.

Author: Jackson Miller