Common Sense Media Review
Abysmal, illogical, and unwatchable horror sequel.
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Five Nights at Freddy's 2
What's the Story?
In FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2, Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and his younger sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), are trying to get back to a normal life after the harrowing events of the first movie. Mike and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) might even share a romantic spark. But Abby misses her "friends," and Mike doesn't know how to tell her that they're gone. Meanwhile, a group of paranormal investigators discovers the original Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where Vanessa's childhood friend Charlotte was killed. The investigators inadvertently unleash Charlotte's vengeful ghost, now inhabiting an animatronic character called the Marionette. Charlotte hopes to trick Abby into helping her also free Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy, sending them out of the restaurant and into the real world to cause untold havoc.
Is It Any Good?
After initially showing some promise, this cash-in sequel devolves into the most achingly shopworn, mechanical batch of mismatched clichés imaginable; it's like a rundown robot. The dialogue in Five Nights at Freddy's 2 feels forced and mismatched, as if characters aren't really speaking or listening to each other. Characters split up when they shouldn't. Day suddenly turns to night. Robots that normally squeak and clunk and rumble the ground when they walk other times simply appear silently. The "original" Freddy's restaurant seems to magically emerge in town as if no one ever knew it was there, though it's close enough that Abby can ride her bike to it. And Abby's robotics teacher (Seinfeld's Wayne Knight) emotionally bullies her in a merciless way, going so far as to deliberately destroy her creation before the science fair, all so that when he meets his end, it's something viewers can root for.
There are dozens of other small irritants, too, from convenient coincidences to a complete lack of understanding of time passing. It all ends with a vague, seemingly random collection of twists that seem to suggest a third movie, but Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is more than plenty.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Five Nights at Freddy's 2's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?
How does this movie compare to the original? What about to the video game?
How do characters demonstrate communication in the movie? What could they have done better?
How is bullying shown via Mr. Berg, Abby's robotics teacher? Could Abby have handled the situation differently?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 5, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : December 23, 2025
- Cast : Josh Hutcherson , Elizabeth Lail , Piper Rubio
- Director : Emma Tammi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Fantasy ( Ghosts , Monsters ) , Robots , School ( Middle School )
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violent content, terror and some language
- Last updated : December 23, 2025
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