Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 review: The dark middle before a promising conclusion
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ still delivers the scares, but is too busy setting up the plot to advance its once-plausible characters.
Successful video game adaptations faithfully represent the game’s personalities, while building a larger, engaging narrative. The film pays homage to its source, including several Easter eggs for existing fans to find and revel over. The sets are familiar, as are many of the characters and key plot points. But the big screen opens the gaming world to fresh opportunities to connect with the main personas in new ways. Additionally, it creates new fans of the franchise who may feel inclined to go back to the source and play the game. Or, as in the case of a sequel, like Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, watch the first film before catching the next chapter.
Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and Abby (Piper Rubio) are trying to make a fresh start. They’re in a new house with a new school for Abby. But no matter how much Mike tries to help them move on, Abby can’t let go of her Fazbear friends and Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) can’t stop thinking about her serial killer father who nearly made her his last victim. Their inability to leave the past behind means it will inevitably interfere with the present. Now it’s taken the form of an angry ghost hell-bent on revenge. Vanessa knows how to stop it, but her secrecy causes Mike to distrust her. Nonetheless, they’ll have to work together to once again save Abby from permanently joining her dead companions.
Since the last film, their physical injuries have healed but their emotional wounds are still wide open. Abby frequently asks Mike when they can visit her ghost friends, while he infinitely delays and encourages her to connect with the living instead. It’s obviously good advice, but avoiding the truth just creates additional problems they have to deal with later. On the other hand, Vanessa is in no rush to return to Fazbear’s. Her father haunts her, whether she’s awake or dreaming, and she can’t find a way to cope.
The killer Yellow Rabbit’s death forces this film to find a new threat or reinvent an old one. The danger still deeply connects to inventor William Afton (Matthew Lillard). Unfortunately, the terror spent its time imprisoned growing angrier and devising a plan for vengeance. This picture also introduces the Marionette animatronic, which is probably one of the most disturbing characters. Meanwhile, some old Fazbear friends get a shiny makeover and a couple new pals, including Balloon Boy, to join them as they venture beyond the restaurant’s boundaries.
Much like the videogame, the film doesn’t only rely on jump scares to frighten audiences. Instead, it builds tension that eventually leads to a startling confrontation. It keeps viewers on edge by varying the speed it turns the key in the jack-in-the-box — sometimes the puppet appears immediately, while other times it creates anticipation for a more surprising entrance. This approach still works incredibly well inside the dilapidated restaurant, but is a little more hit or miss outside it.
The narrative requires some very specific things to happen for it to progress. But these weak plot devices cut into the story’s quality. Early on in the film, a ghost investigator reality show visits Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. They make one key contribution to the narrative, but their main purpose is giving the animatronics a means to scare audiences. The section could be lifted out of the film without notice and their role replaced with something more organic to the story.
Even more illogical is Mike’s thoughtless action at the end of the film. It’s necessary to advance the plot in the desired direction, but it makes no sense in the context of the established information. Similarly, Vanessa’s secrecy is designed to illicit a particular reaction, but doesn’t fit her character’s arc. The will-they-won’t-they couple seamlessly reprise their roles, but their personalities are negatively altered to fit the narrative.
On the other hand, the incorporation of Skeet Ulrich into the story for an indirect Scream reunion is a treat for horror fans. Though he and Lillard don’t cross paths on screen, it has allowed for some heartwarming red carpet moments at the film’s screenings. Additionally, Wayne Knight stays on brand, playing an easy-to-dislike science teacher.
The film appears to be building towards a trilogy, but Blumhouse suggests they’ll keep going beyond three movies. Even so, one hopes the trilogy rule applies and the third installment surpasses this dark middle. The cliff-hanger is at least promising. To that end, audiences should stay for the entire credits to get the full effect.
Director: Emma Tammi
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio and Elizabeth Lail
