'Five Nights at Freddy’s 2' she’s coming for you

By Liv Dunleavy

Arts & Features Asst. Editor

Liv Dunleavy / THE GATEPOST

Hello everybody, my name is Liv and welcome back to “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” (“FNAF 2”).

It’s been so long since we last had seen the sun, trapped in this theater, waiting for the release of “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” 

That release was Dec. 5, coincidentally the same day we all collectively spent absurd amounts of money on “FNAF” merchandise, again.

And it was a doozy. The lore is back, the jumpscares are back, the nostalgia is back, and… Fazbear's back all right! Not only are Freddy and the gang back, but they’re literally back - in time. 

With the animatronics crew from the original Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the ever-so-lovely Marionette, and a few new cast members you’ll be surprised to see, “FNAF 2” had much in store. And with a lot of help from our recurring protagonists - Mike Schmidt, his younger sister Abby, and his weird situationship, Vanessa Afton - yes, that Afton - we delve deeper into our fears and discover more about the Franchise’s dark past.

The film - by title - is based on the second game of the "Five Nights at Freddy’s" franchise, "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2" and more specifically, entirely focused on one character, The Marionette (also known as The Puppet). 

The animatronic came to be after a child's soul was trapped in the marionette puppet, a creepy, lanky, and long-fingered doll, iconically known for her purple tears and rosy cheeks. The Puppet is controlled by Charlotte, who died by William Afton‘s hands, per usual. And not unlike the other child victims in the animatronics, Charlotte has grievances to pay - and she will make sure the town covers her expenses.

I really liked the balance between the horror aspects and the lore in both “FNAF” movies. I think there were enough gory blood scenes to appease the “this is a horror game” crowd, and a perfect amount of lore for those who didn’t know the game to understand it. This applies for a pretty-connected-to-the-lore fan who might even be giddy with the detailed fan service.

If you know me, if you’ve read any of my articles, you may know I’m someone who really likes the things I like. If you slap Bluey‘s face on almost anything, I will buy it. Honestly, I will buy anything I see with something I like on it. The same goes for Freddy Fazbear, it seems.

The animatronics looked amazing. The soundtrack was phenomenal. The fan service was exceptional, as usual. I’ve never felt like I was playing “FNAF" while watching a movie more than I did during that screening. I genuinely jumped out of my seat like four times during the jumpscares.

Yet, as I sat there and was genuinely jumpscared, there were moments where I believe creative liberties were taken that maybe should’ve stayed inside the storyboards' head.

Something about The Puppet’s character design just seemed like they were going for some sort of modern horror scare, and it took away from the classic in-game Marionette aesthetic. They made her into a scare of shock value instead of taking advantage of her true creeping, encroaching, unique characteristics that, in-game, made her so appealing.

We only see small moments of her in the game where they actually utilize techniques from the video game itself and I thought those were the most valuable, though scarce. 

OK, OK, and yes, because I know you’re all wondering, the Easter eggs were there. We had so many Easter eggs and I will not spoil a single one, but I encourage you to watch the film and find them all.

Honestly, I really like the aspect shift that adaptation films are giving to games, musicals, and other forms of media recently that otherwise wouldn’t get to be lengthened.

I think that "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2" may get mixed views, but if you want to know what’s going on inside my head, it’s that this movie is not something to ponder. Just watch, enjoy, and sit tight for “Five Nights at Freddy’s 3.”

If you know the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” lore and you live religiously by it, of course, not everything will be exactly what it’s always supposed to be. That’s not the purpose of a film adaptation. But I think this film does a phenomenal job at creating those moments where you feel like you’re in the game.

And isn’t that just a little bit scary?

See you in “Five Nights at Freddy’s 3,” and don’t forget to close the vents.

Rating: A

I SWEAR IF HE ISN’T IN “FNAF 3” I’M GUNNA -