‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ scraps together spare parts for a junky sequel

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It wasn’t surprising that a sequel to the 2023 horror hit “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was quickly approved. The first movie earned almost $300 million globally, even though critics didn’t love it and it was released simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock. Its success was driven by a PG-13 rating that appealed to teens and the game’s dedicated fanbase, making it Blumhouse’s most profitable film, surpassing previous hits like “Get Out,” “Split,” and the 2018 “Halloween.”

While ‘no-brainer’ might seem fitting for ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,’ it’s unfortunately a really silly and shallow sequel that actually makes the first movie look good by comparison.

If you’re not familiar with the story, the first movie centers around Mike (Josh Hutcherson), a man struggling to find work who takes a job as a night security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a rundown family entertainment center. He soon discovers the restaurant is haunted by killer animatronic characters—Freddy the bear, Bonnie the rabbit, Chica the chicken, and Foxy the fox—possessed by the spirits of children who were murdered. Mike teams up with Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), a police officer, to uncover the restaurant’s dark history, and learns her father, William (Matthew Lillard), is a serial killer connected to the events. Meanwhile, Mike also has to protect his quiet, 10-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), who surprisingly seems to connect with the animatronics.

With me so far?

The new movie starts in 1982 at the very first Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a location we didn’t see in the original film. A young girl named Charlotte is tragically killed during a birthday party while trying to tell the adults that another child has gone missing, but they don’t listen. We also meet the Marionette, a strong and mysterious puppet that’s rumored to control the other animatronics using a very early version of wireless technology. (It’s a bit of a stretch, honestly.)

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Twenty years after the events of the last movie, Mike, Vanessa, and Abby (played again by Hutcherson, Lail, and Rubio) are all trying to rebuild their lives. Mike seems to be out of work once more – and still can’t quite get a clean shave. Vanessa is still deeply affected by her father’s death, and the unusual Abby misses her animatronic companions, who Mike gently tells her are simply broken.

After a ghost hunting team, led by Lisa (Mckenna Grace), tragically disappears while investigating the abandoned Freddy’s, the animatronic characters turn to Abby for help, hoping she can free them. It’s possible they’re manipulating her, but they clearly trust her – a trust they don’t extend to the adults in town, whom they seem to actively dislike and even target.

Chaos erupts as robots run amok, pulling Mike, Vanessa, and other townspeople into a series of chaotic, though not particularly exciting, scenes. The action takes place at the main Freddy’s location, several homes, and Abby’s school, where a particularly mean teacher (played with over-the-top energy by Wayne Knight) prevents her from entering a science fair. That was a mistake on his part!

Now, the unsettling Marionette is possessed by Charlotte’s angry ghost. Alongside her, the spider-like Mangle puppet (a child-friendly version of Foxy) continues to attack. The pizzeria’s night watchman, Freddy Carter, seems suspicious, and Skeet Ulrich plays Charlotte’s heartbroken father. Matthew Lillard, who previously starred with Ulrich in “Scream,” returns as the villainous William, but only in a dream sequence.

This new film differs from the last one, which had three writers, including the director, Emma Tammi, who returns here. This time, the script was written entirely by Cawthorn, and unfortunately, it didn’t work out well. The story feels messy and confusing, weighed down by a confusing mix of established lore, awkward explanations, and uninspired dialogue. The filmmakers prioritized nostalgic references and setting up future sequels over a clear and logical plot, resulting in questionable storylines and a generally careless narrative.

Director Tammi does her best with a poorly written script, but the movie still feels slow and doesn’t create much genuine suspense. It relies heavily on cheap jump scares, though a few might be momentarily startling. Weak acting and awkward dialogue make the film even less effective.

The animatronics, skillfully created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, clearly reflect the robots from the original game. However, even for a less scary movie geared towards younger audiences, they often feel more comical than frightening and lack real menace.

This one’s for die-hards only.

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2025-12-06 03:01