What’s It About
1987, after a rather unstable life, Jeremy Fitzgerald found work as a security guard at the new Freddy’s Fazbear Pizzeria, but when he entered there, he would realize that not everything there is as it seems.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
I had hoped that the second installment of Five Nights at Freddy’s would take a different direction from the first. The first movie made quite a lot of money despite being mediocre. I hoped that the second movie would follow this path, but I was sadly mistaken when I discovered that Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 didn’t necessarily equal a quality film just because it made a profit. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 begins with a girl named Charlotte in the 80’s; she is another victim of William Afton, the murderer behind Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Matthew Lillard reprises his creepy role as Afton, and, honestly, he is one of the only actors who performs well in this movie; Afton brings enthusiasm to each and every scene. Very quickly, we see what type of film we are in for: awkwardly delivered lines; awkward, non-reacting adults who show no concern about the missing child; and many jump scares that fail to be scary. The film then skips ahead to the 2000s and introduces Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and his younger sister Abby, who are trying to get over the horror that occurred at Freddy Fazbear’s in the first film, Abby misses her “friends,” those ghost children stuck inside the killer animatronics. It’s a strange detail that the movie barely acknowledges. Things get complicated when Abby is drawn back to the original restaurant, starting another round of supposed horror that never really hits. Here’s the biggest issue with this sequel: it’s not scary at all. Similar to its predecessor, this film appears primarily targeted toward younger audiences who might not have experienced a traditional horror movie yet. Most of the violent aspects occur off-screen while the resulting “jump scares” are easily anticipated; in addition, many of the animatronic figures seem more “cuddly” than scary. For example, when someone’s head is crushed, the viewer receives a brief glimpse of the act but does not see very much of the blood. The camera almost immediately cuts away if something looks to be scary so as not to frighten viewers. For a horror movie, that’s a major flaw. What’s surprising is that this movie reportedly cost twice as much as the first, yet it looks cheaper. The production feels rushed, as if they didn’t have time to finish color grading some scenes. The animatronics are impressive technically; they’re real practical effects, not CGI. However, they move so awkwardly that it’s hard to believe they could sneak up on anyone. These things would clank and clatter a lot, yet characters act surprised when they appear. The human actors don’t help much either. Apart from Lillard and Wayne Knight, who plays a really mean teacher, most of the cast seem like they’d rather be elsewhere. Director Emma Tammi, who made a decent horror film called The Wind in 2018, directs this one like she’s just collecting a paycheck. There’s no atmosphere, no tension building, just scene after scene of people wandering around looking baffled. The script, written by game creator Scott Cawthon, spends way too much time on backstory. Unless you’re already well-versed in the Five Nights at Freddy’s mythology, be prepared for confusion with this film. We’re introduced to a new villain, a terrifying puppet known as the Marionette, that has the spirit of Charlotte inhabiting it. In addition, we discover that there is a brand-new restaurant location for Freddy Fazbear, which was apparently never disclosed to anyone, even though it is very close to where Charlotte’s father lives. Confusing geographical relationships, predictable and unrealistic plot twists, and spoilers that seem forced are all present. There are also new characters introduced, including a paranormal investigator, played by actress McKenna Grace, and a quick cameo from actor Skeet Ulrich as Charlotte’s father. These additional characters seem like filler rather than being integral parts of the story, much less likely to be of interest to more casual fans who may not have played the games. The film continues to tease with expectations of something major to occur. There are posters everywhere for an event called “FazFest” where hundreds of people could be in danger, but it never happens. We just get a sudden ending that sets up a third movie, complete with mid-credits teases. The last twenty-five minutes do get a bit wild, with various animatronics causing chaos. It’s somewhat entertaining in a “so ridiculous it’s almost fun” way, but it doesn’t redeem the movie. The cliffhanger makes it clear that this whole film exists purely to cash in on the franchise. What frustrates me the most is that the concept could really work. Killer animatronic restaurant mascots should be terrifying. The basic idea has a lot of potential. While the film sticks to a PG-13 rating and avoids true horror, it compromises itself as a whole. While acknowledging that the audience skewers younger than average, really good horror relies on other factors, such as atmosphere, tension, and originality. In that sense, this film severely lacked any of those elements. At the same time, the film struggles between trying to be accessible to newcomers or appealing to hardcore fans. The result is that the backstory is too overwhelming, while the plot is far too simplistic; and so the characters make illogical choices, the pacing is inconsistent, and everything is awkwardly pieced together. Moreover, there is little connection between what happens in the Gameplay and what Mike is doing when watching the security cameras. In conclusion, what is the most disappointing aspect of this film? A low-budget Nicolas Cage movie called Willy’s Wonderland did this exact idea better, and that movie isn’t even that great. They realized the most important episode of the movie is the scene where you see killer animatronic puppets doing things that frighten you. Blumhouse has the talent and the means to produce something that is very scary and entertaining, but has failed to do so in two different movies to date. For those who are huge fans of the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, the only positive aspect of these movies is to watch for all of the references and see some of the familiar lore come to life. Watching it with an excited crowd could make it better, since you can share the energy. But as an actual movie, something meant to work as standalone entertainment, this is a failure. It’s confusing, dull, poorly made, and worst of all, it wastes everyone’s time while teasing more of the same in an inevitable third installment. Simply watch YouTube videos of others playing the games. You will have greater thrills, more enjoyment, and you will not have wasted two hours of your life. The failure of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 proves that just because a game does well at the box office does not mean it is a good game, and that there are times when a franchise should stop making games.
OUR RATING – A FAZBEAR 2
MEDIA
- Genre – Video Game
Street date
• Digital – December 23, 2025
• 4K/BluRay/DVD – February 17, 2026
• Video – 1080p
• Screen size 2.00:1
• Sound – English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, French (Canada): Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
• Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras
• Employees of the Month: The Cast (approx. 13 min): Interviews with the cast and crew discussing their roles.
• Bringing Freddy & Friends to Life (approx. 10 min): A look at the animatronics, puppets, and stunt actors.
• Mangle Mayhem (approx. 5 min): A featurette on the creation and puppeteering of the Mangle character.
• High-Strung: Hanging With The Marionette (approx. 7 min): Behind-the-scenes look at the design and movement of The Marionette.
• Sensory Overload: Exploring the Sets (approx. 10 min): A detailed tour of the production design and Easter eggs.