Streaming Standard: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025)

 I only know the Games based on YT Videos and reputation.
I wasn't wowed by the first Film.

So how do I feel about the Sequel?

Let's find out...

As a reminder, a bunch of kid ghosts were trapped in animatronics not at all based on Rockafire Explosion.

They turned on their captor- Matthew Lillard- but the events haunted those affected by it.

About 2 years later, the girl at the center of it- Abby- wants to save the spirits in the machines, but her older brother Mike won't do it.

She eventually runs away to the Restaurant (somehow still not demolished) and gets a device to 'talk' to Freddy Fazbear.

A bit later, a bunch of random dead meats go to a SECOND Freddy's location.
Yes, there was another one like 4 miles away the whole time.  Duh.

McKenna Grace runs afoul of an especially dangerous and new animatronic with a backstory laid out in the Cold Open. 

The new one- Marionette- is possessed by the spirit of a DIFFERENT kid spirit (think of it like a Japanese Rage Ghost) and is mad at Emily for the sins of her and her Father.

Speaking of her Dad, Lillard appears in random flashbacks/dreams throughout.

Abby has an ongoing issue with her Teacher- Wayne Knight- and he runs afoul of Toy Chica, the definitely evil version of the animatronic from the other Restaurant.

Can you name a Film in which Wayne survives?  I can't.

The Marionette wants Emily dead.

The Toy Animatronics want everyone dead.

Who will win?
Will this actually do more than just set up a third Film?

To find out, stream it now.

A bigger, bolder...but not better Sequel.

Positives first.
The Animatronics look great, courtesy of the Henson Company.
Really impressive stuff- no question.

There are some good visuals overall here.

That said, the Plot really dives into the convoluted lore of FNAF, thanks to its Creator writing the Script.
We've got two sets of Animatronics, a Marionette, a brand-new villain, a 2nd restaurant that was somehow always there, a Fazz Festival that never pays off and more.

Furthermore, these big, metal robots can shake the floor with each step...or be deathly silent when the Plot demands it (see image below).  Sure!

I watched this only a few days ago and I'm already struggling to remember huge chunks of it.  The Film also features random guests as Voice Actors that you can't even recognize.  Money well spent.

Oh and I didn't even mention the essentially pointless Cameo by Skeet Ulrich, part of two Films that nostalgia baited Scream fans.  The pair are never seen together.

If you're a fan of the Series and lore, you'll be able to ignore the nonsense- you're already all in.
For everyone else, you can watch it if you're really curious.

A Film that spent more money in many good ways.  Too bad they didn't make the Film for everyone and not just hardcore fans/theorists.

2023 Catch-Up: Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

 After watching the knock-off, let's see the original.

Mind you, the 'original' is a Game Adaptation based on the idea that The Rock-afire Explosion was scary.

Are you ready to be scared by the robots of Freddy's?

Well, you don't see them in the Syfy Opening bit and you don't really see them in action until *checks watch* a while.

Instead, let's follow Josh Hutcherson and his...emotional trauma.

He's scarred by an experience when he was a kid, dreams of the moment constantly (that's healthy) and can't hold a job on account of his mania.

He gets hired to be the new Security Guard at Freddy's by Matthew Lillard.  Scooby?

Okay, so he's going to either turn out to be the Bad Guy, a 3rd Act Shock Death or Sequel Bait.
Everyone place your bets!

This Cop lady befriends him on the job.  Did they need to hire a lady who looked like Jennifer Lawrence for this BTW?

She's good, but it is a bit distracting.

After lots of drama involving child custody disputes (between the Aunt and Josh acting as the 'Dad' to his much younger Sister) and more dreams they thought of after watching Channel Zero: Candle Cove, we get some kill filler.

Will the animatronics please show up now?

Well, they do.  They can't do any killing on-screen per se (due to the PG-13 Raiting), but we do get the build-up to the ultimate evil.

Another Animatronic Creature!

Can anyone survive the 5th Night?

This is an odd one, to say the least.  I had zero expectations for this one.

For starters, the Plot is way more serious and darker than you might expect.  Maybe more the former than the latter.  Josh's Character is way more than Guy Who Watches Monitors.

That's good.  That said, the Plot revolves around everyone important to each other all living in a small town and constantly crossing paths.  I have next door neighbors that I have zero connection with, but these people are all intertwined!

There's an odd tonal confusion here.  Simply put, they can't show the major gore that you would expect.  That said, they can talk about some REALLY, REALLY dark stuff that they just don't show.  

Is that how this works?  You can make a PG-13 Film where the Plot has the villain cut out and eat our Hero's brother's heart, but, since we don't see it, it's all good?  

Oh right- that was Disney's The Lone Ranger.

The actual draw here- the Animatronics- look great.  They just need a Film that gives them far more to do, whether we see blood or not.

Just know that this is less about the Plot of those Games than you might hope.

I'll leave you with this random Behind the Scenes Photo that seems to silly to be real (but is)...

A Film that, for better or worse, tries to do way more than set up jump scares for Twitch Streamers.  It made a ton of money, so maybe it was the right call?