The highly anticipated sequel, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, premiered to a wave of negative reviews, with critics describing it as “overstuffed” and “worse than the first film.” Released in theaters on December 5, 2023, the movie directed by Emma Tammi features Josh Hutcherson reprising his role as Mike, the ex-security guard of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. Alongside his sister Abby and Vanessa, Mike attempts to move past the traumatic events of the first film, only to be drawn back into the haunted world once again.
Critics agree that while the film includes numerous easter eggs and lore from the popular game series, these elements fail to compensate for the movie’s shortcomings in storytelling. According to Jason Pirodsky of Prague Reporter, the film “doesn’t know when to stop delivering exposition,” leading to a convoluted narrative that remains unresolved by the end. He further states that only devoted fans may appreciate the extensive backstory, while others might find it lacking.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJ Colangelo from SlashFilm points out that the film features “about 15 minutes of genuinely terrific thrills,” but these moments are overshadowed by confusing plot lines that complicate the viewing experience. Tim Grierson from Screen Daily notes that while Jim Henson’s Creature Shop continues to impress with its animatronics, the overall execution of the horror elements remains disappointingly flat.
Concerns about the sequel’s ability to deliver genuine scares were prevalent before its release, and early reviews suggest these worries may be justified. Jacob Oller from AV Club describes the film as having “the energy of a full movie constructed from those boring scenes where the final girl goes to the library to do research.” This sentiment is mirrored by Owen Gleiberman of Variety, who criticizes Emma Tammi’s direction as presenting violence in a way that feels sanitized, akin to a network television adaptation of a horror film.
The collective verdict indicates that while Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 slightly improves upon its predecessor by enhancing the scare factor and offering impressive animatronics, it ultimately falters by trying to incorporate too many storylines and characters into its relatively brief runtime. Critics suggest this approach results in a chaotic and unsatisfying experience for viewers, particularly for fans of the franchise.
At this stage, Universal Pictures has not conducted additional fan screenings beyond critic previews, leaving audience reactions uncharted. As of now, an official score on Rotten Tomatoes is also unavailable. Fans of the horror genre and the original video game series will have to see for themselves when the film opens in cinemas.
For more information, readers can explore lists of the best video game adaptations and upcoming horror films.