If you aren’t plugged into Fazbear lore, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 won’t come to life
Courtesy Universal Pictures
The newest addition to the FNAF cinematic universe, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, marks Emma Tammi’s return to the director’s chair and the franchise’s latest effort to translate video-game chaos into big-screen horror. Like the first film, it’s a little cheesy, pretty chaotic, absolutely drenched in lore, and completely unashamed of what it is.
From the get-go, the movie leans hard on jump scares. While effective and fun in the moment, sometimes you wish it would slow down and let the dread actually settle, especially in scenes that most closely resemble the video game. Static cameras, eerie quiet, and the slow, deliberate movement of the animatronics are where the movie taps into the kind of sustained tension the games are known for. It’s in these moments, when the film remembers that anticipation is scarier than impact, that it feels genuinely unnerving.
One of the franchise’s most intelligent choices is its use of the different generations of animatronics to shape scares and reward longtime fans. The newer models introduced in this installment are visually impressive, but their clean but polished, high-tech look feels a little too clean to be truly unsettling.
Real chills and standout moments come from appearances of the game’s “Withered” animatronics. You don’t need to know the lore to understand why they’re truly terrifying— the older, battered versions were left to decay for years, stripped for parts. Their grotesque distortions and metal endoskeletons feel like relics of something dark and are easily one of the movie’s strongest visual elements, showcasing design, texture, and atmosphere that bring the horror to life.
And that is where FNAF’s identity truly shines. The franchise has always rooted its horror in decay and dark history. A kids’ pizza place full of singing robotic mascots is not inherently frightening. But a place where those mascots carry decades of trauma, disappearances, and death? That is where the terror lives.
On the topic of nightmares, Matthew Lillard’s moments on screen become some of the most chilling beats in the entire runtime. His ability to effortlessly portray a predatory, feral villain to the audience is uncanny, and his reunion with old Scream, Skeet Ulrich, is also a fun little meta horror nod that longtime fans of the genre will appreciate.
Meanwhile, Josh Hutcherson continues his resurgence as Mike, delivering a grounded performance that sells exhaustion, guilt, and unraveling nerves even as the plot bombards the audience with lore. Piper Rubio shines as Abby, offering a creative and memorable counterpart to Hutcherson.
Despite its strong moments, not everything lands. The relationship between Mike and Vanessa never really clicks, and while the script wants sparks, it fails to deliver, leaving the dynamic feeling unnecessary and half-baked.
Courtesy Universal Pictures
If you didn’t watch the first film or aren’t plugged into FNAF lore, large chunks of the sequel will feel confusing. It packs in references, gimmicks, and dozens of Easter eggs without slowing down to explain any of them, and that is exactly what makes it so enjoyable if you are in on the chaos.
What keeps it from feeling like a corporate cash grab is its commitment to the analog-horror aesthetic and deep-cut details. It doesn’t feel soulless, and you can tell it was created by people who actually like this weird, convoluted universe.
Viewers walking in cold might say it doesn’t work as a standalone thriller. But this franchise has no interest in pretending otherwise. If you know the world or are curious enough to peek into its bizarre mythos, it’s a genuinely fun watch.
