Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 Review: The Video Game Movie Sequel Limbos Under The Low Bar Set By The First Film

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Let’s be honest, Emma Tammi’s Five Nights at Freddy’s isn’t a good movie. And I’m usually wary of sequels to films that were both popular and poorly made. I typically see follow-up movies as a chance for filmmakers to really shine – the initial world and characters are already built, offering lots of creative potential. However, with bad movies, it’s all about expectations. If audiences were willing to overlook the first film’s flaws, they likely won’t get a much-improved sequel – the filmmakers will probably just give them more of the same.

Five Nights At Freddy’s 2

Here are the details for the movie: It will be released on December 5, 2025, and is directed by Emma Tammi. Scott Cawthon wrote the screenplay. The film stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Freddy Carter, Theodus Crane, Wayne Knight, Teo Briones, Mckenna Grace, Skeet Ulrich, and Matthew Lillard. It’s rated PG-13 for violent content, scary scenes, and some language, and has a runtime of 104 minutes.

From the start, Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 has been disappointing, and unfortunately, it doesn’t even meet the low expectations set for it. The game is generally boring, with the only excitement coming from predictable and repetitive jump scares. However, the biggest problem is the poor storytelling – the narrative doesn’t flow well, and the characters aren’t developed in a meaningful way.

Picking up where the last movie left off and ignoring any plot issues from the ending, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 immediately reveals that William Afton (Matthew Lillard), the serial killer, has more victims than we initially knew. The film opens with a flashback to 1982, introducing Charlotte (Audrey Lynn Marie), a young girl killed at the original Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Charlotte had a special connection to the Marionette animatronic and was a childhood friend of Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), Ashton’s daughter. The movie quickly and easily uses this backstory to introduce a new villain.

Twenty years later, the movie revisits siblings Mike and Abby after their frightening encounter at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Mike seems stuck in a rut, focusing on simple tasks and a potential relationship, while Abby, despite making friends at school, misses the haunted animatronics she lost. Both characters are frustratingly unlikable, yet the film asks us to sympathize with them. Meanwhile, a group of paranormal investigators accidentally awaken the spirit of Charlotte through the Marionette, and she uses Abby to fuel her anger.

For a film from a major studio film, it’s shocking how sloppy Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 is.

I rarely describe big-budget movies as “sloppy” because there are usually enough skilled people involved to make sure they work, at least on a basic level. However, that’s the word that immediately comes to mind when I think about Five Nights At Freddy’s 2. A better film would have given Mike’s character a clear purpose, helped us connect with Abby’s motivations for wanting to be with the animatronics, and avoided silly choices like repeating the same joke twice in a row. Those are just a few of the problems with this disappointing movie.

The movie feels incredibly disorganized. Storylines appear and disappear without purpose, scenes jump around confusingly (it took me a while to even notice there were two different Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza locations!), and new characters are introduced clumsily. I had high hopes for the talented Mckenna Grace and Teo Briones, but they weren’t used to their full potential. The major plot twist at the end feels completely unearned and is honestly one of the most disappointing I’ve seen in a movie as a critic. Overall, it’s a baffling and messy experience.

An overdose of jump scares isn’t enough to break up the tedium of the Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 experience.

It’s not even enjoyably bad – the confusion, frustration, and sheer boredom completely ruin any potential entertainment. The story is a chaotic jumble and the characters are flat or unlikeable, making it impossible to become invested. All that’s left is desperately trying to follow the flimsy plot and anticipating the predictable jump scares, which quickly become tiresome.

Knowing the film is rated PG-13 and targeted towards a younger audience than myself, I went in expecting some jump scares – and I don’t even mind those when used well. However, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 relies on them too much. Beyond glimpses of off-screen violence, the director and writer seem to have no other tricks up their sleeve, making the shocks feel hollow. The animatronic designs, despite still looking good technically, aren’t scary anymore after the first movie, and even the creepy potential of the Marionette is wasted – it just jumps at the camera repeatedly.

Let’s be honest, reviewing Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 feels pointless – it’s the type of movie people will love or hate regardless of what critics say. If you’re still considering seeing it, I’d advise against it. It’s not interesting enough to be worth your time, even as a ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ experience, and after a great year for horror movies, this isn’t a good way to end it.

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2025-12-05 05:08