by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
Five Nights At Freddy’s has been a phenomenon among the Gen Z gaming world for years now. With lore mostly built up outside of the game itself, and then later adopted to be canon, it’s no surprise that Hollywood would one day try and capture its cult-like following for a movie audience. As the first film entered its lead-up, it was uncertain whether its success would transfer over from the game, or whether it would be dead before the first night was over.
Not only was it a success, but it was a major one, making almost 15 times its budget back at the box office. So it’s no surprise that Blumhouse decided to take this franchise and run, coming back two years later with its successor, Five Nights At Freddy’s 2.Where the first’s meme-ification matched perfectly with the game’s place in pop culture, the question now is whether this is a story that can uphold the world-building necessary to produce multiple lucrative films.
Still focusing on our little found family who could, played by Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, and Piper Rubio respectively, FNaF 2 picks up one year after the first. Lonely and misunderstood, Rubio’s Abby once again goes looking for her friends, in the meantime uncovering more secrets and horrors than could have ever been imagined.
Where the first movie was a simple story centered around a small cast of recognizable character actors, the sequel has engaged in the classic technique of adding about three times the amount of locations, cast, and plot in order to significantly expand its world. While there might be more of a legend around the lore within, and without the decades of games, from a movie perspective the first FNaF served a specific purpose, and executed that purpose well enough. However, the second attempting the same has resulted in nothing but some of the most intensive sequelitis to be seen in recent history — to the point where it almost feels like this movie only exists to spur forth the existence of future installments.
Where the first one was almost a bottle story in how insular it is, allowing the simplicity of the game to shine through enough to entertain the target audience, this one chooses to go bigger, and it’s the wrong choice. The new cast exists within the framework of the runtime, yes, but no new character justifies their existence. They’re all one-dimensional in their characterization, with most not getting more than a few minutes of screen time, lacking purpose, motivation, or interest built behind their existence. This also results in the old cast of characters making somehow even more questionable decisions than they did in the first, just so the plot could move from point a to point. Not to mention, one of the few bright sparks from the first — the animatronics — are presented in such a cold, uninteresting manner that the movie ends up being more boring than it is outrageous.
The main feeling here is frustration, both in the lack of storytelling, and in the entertainment factor. Many new problems are presented; the world is expanded upon, yes, but in doing so, the charm of the first is also completely erased.
Without spoilers, the way this film chooses to resolve itself — or not resolve, really — showcases the creative team’s greed, more than anything else. Feeling more like an extremely prolonged and confused trailer for the next movie, should that be confirmed, results in this installment being incapable of standing up as its own movie.
Fans of the FNaF franchise might still find something to hold onto, with plenty of references and Easter eggs throughout. However, once that easy eye candy is stripped away, we’re left with nothing underneath but an empty shell in the shape of the old film.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is an attempt to broaden a world that should have been kept small. Whether its character motivations, callbacks to the first film, or new environments introduced to little applause, this is a sequel that is so deep in its sequelitis that it cannot exist without having a film preceding and following it. Given that the film following it hasn’t even been shot yet, fans will have to hope that some conclusion is green lit, shot, and released at some point in the future so this one doesn’t end up being a waste of their time.
Rating: Hated It
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Alice-Ginevra Micheli, and follow her on Instagram and Letterboxd