Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025) Review

Much of life is spent waiting.

For work or school to end, for the weekend to arrive, for something to happen. Despite that, life is best lived not waiting, an idea Five Nights at Freddy's 2 adores.

That's to say the quiet moments are few, and viewers stumble into one incredulous, nonsensical scene after another in a cacophony of thrills guided by the vaguest hint of plot. Characters lack sensible motivations and events occur purely for spectacle. The film prioritizes references and inside jokes over story development, alienating or confusing those outside the eclectic community. As it unfolds, the plot traipses through illogical twists and sequences until all is redeemed in the best Marvel Avengers-esque "on your left" sequences I've ever bore witness to in all of cinema.

Had me like this the entire time I was in the theatre

Many know the series' creator Scott Cawthon kind of created Five Nights at Freddy's out of spite, responding to his earlier non-horror works reviewing as "creepy" and "animatronic-looking." Regardless, it was a successful standalone release, with every installment since changing direction or clarifying previous points. Moreover, Cawthon evolved the complex story over time, even giving hints in several co-authored novels set in a "same but not canon universe," something the movies match. Theorists may rejoice, but movie-goers be warned: a cohesive movie story is not a priority.

For instance, the sequel revolves around the Marionette/Charlotte's hatred of parents, "explained" by the opening scene and a very forced line from Vanessa affirming she "seemed stuck in her last emotion... rage," which was more laughable than supportive. When the weakest motivation is also a main plot driver, large chunks of the movie become senseless. To delve deeper into narrative or character flaws seems wasteful; It's pretty clearly what we just watched.

But hey, many of us saw it and perhaps enjoyed it anyway. Hundreds worked on the project, and the animatronics (powered primarily by practical effects no less) looked great on the big screen. What matters is it was done. Moreover, the catalyst of it all-Cawthon leveraging criticism towards a hit release-was done. They seized the moment; They didn't wait.

Are you waiting for something?