Movie review: ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ is better than the first
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” may have a lot of issues, but it still manages to entertain, upping the scares and action from its predecessor.
Not much has changed for me in terms of my enjoyment of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise since the first film came out. I have an understanding of the first game, and have now seen the first movie maybe twice. I don’t know any of the lore past what is in the first game and the first movie. I wouldn’t say I am a die-hard fan is what I’m getting at. But from what I’ve picked up on from seeing the first film and now having seen the sequel, it seems these movies are made with fans solely in mind.
In a very cliché way, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” ups the ante from the first film. The scares are bigger, which had me shook a little bit. I can handle horror movies, but when they become too “jump-scary,” that’s when I legitimately get annoyed. They get me every time. There is also a noticeably higher budget for “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2”, with triple the amount of puppets bringing the “FNAF” world to life.
Truthfully, that’s why you come to see these movies, the puppets. Yet again, the Jim Henson Creature Shop has knocked it out of the park with not only bringing back the massive puppets from the first film, but also bringing to life new ones that have a drastically different look. Truly the use of practical characters over CGI in “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is worth the price of admission alone.
One of my complaints about the first movie is that there weren’t enough gameplay nods. Meaning there weren’t many moments that were a direct moment from the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” games. I am happy to report there is a massive sequence in “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” where you get Mike, sitting at a desk, fighting off the animatronics, and it’s my favorite sequence of the film.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” isn’t without some major flaws. Similar to its predecessor, the dialogue is horrendous. Most line deliveries come off cheesy, making the film feel like it’s fumbling from set-piece to set-piece. As mentioned earlier, these films are made for the die-hards. There were so many times something would be shown, or a cameo would happen, and the crowd in my screening erupted. In those moments, my wife and I turned to look at each other to see if either of us knew what was happening. So with that being said, there was a general feeling among other non-“FNAF” fans that I talked to that we felt like we missed out on a lot, despite having seen the first movie.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is a movie for the fans. If you’re not a fan, I would say you’re at risk to not enjoy this film at all. But if you’re a true “FNAF” fan, I almost guarantee you’re going to love it.
SCORE: “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” 2.5/5
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is rated PG-13 and is in theaters now! There is one post-credit scene, but it’s worth staying through the credits.
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
Ready for adventure? Our trusted partner Universal Fan Travel will handle the planning so you can focus on the fun. They offer free vacation-planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating epic vacations. Visit Universal Fan Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today.
