‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ review: A pizza missing the sauce

Lore-heavy nods and animatronic mayhem will have fans ordering up another slice on Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, while horror fans will be left hungry.

The doors have reopened for another Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza; this time with more animatronics, more lore, and more chaos. But as with pizza, it can leave you with a good aftertaste … or a bad one. The latest entry in Blumhouse’s smash-hit series Five Nights at Freddy’s looks to ramp up the family-friendly horror in a sequel that honors the video game franchise. Though, even with the abundance of gaming nods, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 can’t hide its structural and horror gaps, leaving the film to short-circuit all over the place.

Booting up the game.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 feels like a movie for the game fans, with plenty of fan service elements injected in. Written once again by series creator Scott Cawthon, the sequel takes inspiration from the second game and weaves it into the movie universe. In this case, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 takes place a year after the events of the first film as a new crop of animatronics wreaks mayhem in a newly-discovered Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson) worries for his sister Abby (Piper Rubio), who desperately wants to reunite with her animatronic friends. Also returning is Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), whose trauma over the past might be hiding a few more secrets from her friends.

Returning director Emma Tammi and Cawthon succeed in capturing the magic of the game franchise on the big screen. Similar to the first film, the touches feel like they fit into this world, while also having a cheeky self-awareness of how absurd they were. There’s no need to worry about why didn’t the office in the restaurant have a door or who made that building design. It works because it makes sense in this gaming/movie universe. The same goes for no one batting an eyelash at seeing giant animatronic animals walking around. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has a clever reason for why and the filmmakers do well working around it.

The choice of set design, props, and editing techniques heighten the atmosphere. The use of the vintage computer, the camera shots whenever the animatronics lurked, and the gameplay mechanics are plentiful. Even if you haven’t played the games, you can tell the importance of these techniques to the greater franchise at large. Everything serves a purpose and a greater meaning from its source material.

The cracks in the plan.

As you pull the fan service layers off Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, it becomes painfully clear that the film’s plot is in need of repairs. At times, the story feels underdeveloped and directionless, with characters reacting and moving towards something that hasn’t been established. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has a Big Bad that wants to cause evil and revenge, but the film approaches its reasoning with a “matter-of-fact” attitude that expects us as viewers not to dive deeper. Without giving any spoilers, their reasoning comes across more as a blanket threat, a wide-reaching attack that fits anyone under its umbrella. This is all well and good for a James Bond or a Marvel/DC villain, but a horror movie needs more, especially when we’re left scratching our heads for the “how?” of it all.

The characters themselves suffer under the same weight of underdevelopment. Mike, Abby, and Vanessa, specifically, are given strong starting points in dealing with the trauma of surviving the first movie. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 approaches the topic of trauma, highlighting the after-effects and the idea of moving on. But it never delves deeper to have these characters learn something; they’re more preoccupied with other matters than talking about the issue head-on. Mike obviously cares for his sister Abby, but their interactions feel clunky and empty. It’s more than just the expected uncomfortableness between them; even the spookiest movies go a long way with a little urgency and warmth.

A weaker plot and killer motivation aren’t bad enough on their own; many other horror films have thrived despite it. The added issue is that Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 compensates by bloating everything else to fill the gaps. Things like cameos, more animatronics, and filler scenes are packed into the 104-minute runtime. Whereas the first film felt grounded at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the sequel goes all over the place to see what sticks. And while the animatronics are the film’s bread and butter, the same establishing care from the first film isn’t treated here. You’ll lose track of how many appear in this film … and trust, there are a lot!

Bump in the night.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is a predominantly bloodless horror movie. It’s an interesting case where the film is a strong video game adaptation, but it’s not a scary movie. It’s comparable to something like Until Dawn, which had an issue of the reverse. There are barely any chilling scares or blood here, instead opting for jump scares and the occasional death scene. We could classify the sequel as “gateway horror” because of its low-threatening nature and easy ability for horror newbies.

Though, if you’re looking for a terrifying horror experience, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 isn’t it. The film is here for a fun popcorn time, not a creepy time. The sequel loves to build up its tension, playing off the uneasiness of its atmosphere and what hides in the shadows. A jump scare may get you, but the horror won’t be waiting to come next.

The bottom line.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is an imbalanced film that prioritizes fan service over fright. It’s a strong video game adaptation that takes care in weaving game elements for the delight of fans, building upon its lore. Through this, the editing choices, set design, and atmosphere shine to capture the magic of the game. You feel like you’re stepping into the world of this new location, and what that makes for the characters.

Will you have fun at Five Nights at Freddy’s 2? Absolutely. Grab your popcorn and buckle in; the sequel wants to have a good time with its animatronic mayhem. But as a horror film, the sequel fails to deliver a strong, well-developed plot that drives its characters forward in meaningful ways. Hiding behind all the animatronics is a bloodless, bloated film that isn’t sure where it wants to go, despite its aspirations to keep the fun running free.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is now playing in theaters everywhere. Watch the trailer here.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures. Read more articles by Justin Carreiro here.