‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ Review – For Fazbear Fans Only

Synopsis: One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends. But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.

There are certain responsibilities that you do, not because it’s right; you do it because you’re called to it, you do it out of love. It may be thankless, it probably won’t pay well or at all, and part of you may want to take the easy way out, but the satisfaction of helping is its own compensation. One of those things could be putting your own life aside to raise your sibling as if they were your own child. These types of situations occur every day, but not everyone is willing or equipped to make sacrifices of this nature. One could argue that you’re never truly prepared for anything, but for those who take any leap of the sort, watch out for monsters.

‘I’m not done with you.”

It’s all pizza and prizes until you go poking around where you shouldn’t… again. Directed by Emma Tammi, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is very clearly for Fazbear fans only. From its continued dive into the lore, new characters, and the frequency with which the glowing eyes of one of the murderous animatronic characters grace the screen, those who grew up with the game will be elated. Unfortunately, this sequel is not quite the scream they were counting on. While Freddy and company look amazing, the storytelling, acting, and overall tone leave much to be desired. Not to mention the scares are not only scarce, but incredibly predictable. And there should be at least a morsel of logic.

Following the success and fanfare of the first FNAF movie, it was clear that a sequel was imminent, regardless of how the story unfolded. Five Nights at Freddy’s had plenty to offer, blending the game’s plot with an original story that both fans and newcomers could enjoy; it wasn’t great, but it was fun. Surprisingly, this second installment falls flat on its metal face. Starting strong with more backstory that prepares the audience for what’s to come, it quickly loses momentum as it prioritizes fan service over a coherent story. Ping-ponging between a faithful adaptation and a story evolution, the work fails to intertwine the two approaches. It has its moments that elicit an eerie hope that it’ll stay on task and scare and thrill the audience, but instead, it focuses too much on the wooden and hollow personal relationships. Where the first film was an introduction to this universe, this sequel operates only to set up a third feature. Now, by the end of this eye-rolling, nonsensical catastrophe, is there intrigue? Yes, but only because the story isn’t finished.

“I just want to see what’s inside of his head.”

Negatives aside, there are positives for fans of the video game. There is a specific cameo, “wow” moments that only gamers will understand, and lore that intensifies certain aspects of the story, especially as it leads into the next installment. The score is haunting, but far surpasses each scene it imbues. Moreover, some of the cinematography is fantastic. There are classic shots that are reminiscent of the horror films of yesteryear. If you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, this is not the movie for you. There are too many specific details and touches that will leave you scratching your head as everyone else cheers in excitement. But ultimately, it’s just a sloppy, inconsistent mess. There are too many flashbacks used to tell its story, while also a huge underutilization of household names. Underneath the callbacks and animatronic cloak is an undercooked narrative that may have been hindered by its PG-13 rating. All the parts are there, but forcing a square into a triangle rarely works. Its rewatchability is low. Oh, and there is a post-credit surprise.

Pace & Pop

The film’s pacing is like spinning in circles and then attempting to run in a straight line; it’s all over the place. As it continuously and abruptly attempts to unpack its lore, it loses whatever haunting momentum it gains. Fortunately, what pops is the look and build of Freddy Fazbear and the rest of the possessed animatronic companions. To no one’s surprise, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop brought to life a walking nightmare-fuel.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Freddy Carter, Theodus Crane, Wayne Knight, McKenna Grace, with Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard

Unfortunately, there’s not much to say about the performances other than they are uninspired and devoid of genuine emotion. Even the performances that you expected to be good are too short-lived to make a difference. Nevertheless, it was great to see Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich in the same movie once again.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 releases in theaters on December 5, 2025. Stay safe and listen to the children.

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1h 44m Director: Emma Tammi Writers: Scott Cawthon Based on: the Video Game Series “Five Nights at Freddy’s” by Scott Cawthon Producers: Jason Blum, Scott Cawthon Executive Producers: Emma Tammi, Beatriz Sequeira, Christopher Warner, Russell Binder and Marc Mostman