Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Review: Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: I went into Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 with zero expectations. I didn’t play the games, I barely remembered the first movie, and honestly, I wasn’t sure why I even showed up. But here I am, having seen it, and I’ve got thoughts, so buckle up.
My Rating: 3.0/5
| Movie Title | Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 |
|---|---|
| Director | Emma Tammi |
| Writer | Scott Cawthon |
| Main Cast | Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa, McKenna Grace, Matthew Lillard, Skate Olrich |
| Genre | Horror, Thriller |
| Runtime | 1h 44m |
| Language | English |
| Country | USA |
The Animatronics Still Steal the Show
First off, the animatronics are still the stars. Those creepy robots? They’re legitimately unsettling at times. You get moments where you’re like, “Okay, that’s kind of scary,” and if you’re a fan of the games, the fan service is spot-on.
There’s a satisfying kill that you can see coming from a mile away, and for the first time in the movie, I actually smiled at how on-the-nose it was. But let’s be real: these movies aren’t about subtle horror. They’re about giving the FNAF fans something familiar to chew on, and this one does exactly that.
Humans? Not So Much
Now, the humans… yikes. Josh Hutcherson is around because, well, contracts, I guess. His character doesn’t really do much, and the movie seems obsessed with revolving around Vanessa, the daughter of Matthew Lillard’s character. But even she doesn’t get enough depth to make me care.
McKenna Grace is in there too, barely a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance that feels purely marketing-driven. Skate Olrich shows up just enough to get articles written, and Lillard himself is hardly in any scenes with anyone else. Honestly, it felt like the filmmakers were juggling a lot of names for the sake of promotion rather than storytelling.
The Pacing Problem
The pacing is rough. For the first hour, I was fighting to stay awake, which isn’t the vibe you want for a horror movie. It eventually gets going, but it really could’ve been 15 minutes shorter.
There’s a lot of setup that points back to the first movie, and I barely remembered anything from it. By the time the third installment comes around, I’m guessing I’ll be equally confused and equally tired.
Gateway Horror, Not Scary Horror
Here’s the thing: this movie knows what it is. PG-13 horror, light on actual scares, heavy on fan service. It’s a gateway horror movie—it exists to hook the young audience, get them familiar with the Blumhouse style, and eventually lead them toward rated R fare.
If you’re expecting a genuinely terrifying experience, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re an FNAF fan, there’s enough creepy animatronic action to keep you entertained.
Appreciating the First Movie a Bit More
What’s weird, though, is how much this movie made me appreciate the first one more. Maybe it’s nostalgia, or maybe it’s just that the sequel highlights how little the human characters contribute.
Surface-level humans, dumb decisions, plot holes that make no sense, but the animatronics? Still fun. Still terrifying in that “I want to peek, but I’m scared” kind of way.
Also Read: Fackham Hall Review – I Did Not Expect to Laugh THIS Hard — This Movie Is Pure Chaos
Good and Bad in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
| Good Things | Bad Things |
|---|---|
| Creepy animatronics that fans will love | Human characters are shallow and forgettable |
| PG-13 horror suitable for younger audiences | Pacing is slow for the first hour |
| Fun fan-service for FNAF fans | McKenna Grace and Skate Olrich barely appear |
| Satisfying kills that are easy to predict | Plot holes and dumb decision-making |
| The Atmosphere can be genuinely eerie at times | Not genuinely scary, just light horror |
Final Thoughts on Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
At the end of the day, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is forgettable if you’re not a fan. I can already tell that by tomorrow, I won’t remember half of it. But for the die-hards? You’ll probably enjoy it. The rest of us? Save your money.
Unless, of course, you just want a gateway horror movie that lets you snack on creepy robots while mentally checking out the humans.
So, have you seen it yet? Did you dig it, or did it leave you yawning like me? And while we’re at it, what other horror video games do you wish Hollywood would adapt properly? I’m still waiting on that Metal Gear Solid movie that never seems to happen…
