From the audience’s laughs to their shrieks, fans attending the “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” (“FNAF 2”) premiere at American Movie Classics (AMC) Tilghman Square 8 experience the film a day early; witnessing the jumpscares and horror up-close. On Dec. 4, select AMC theaters invited fans to an exclusive early showing, even giving attendees, such as myself, a free full-size poster.
Freddy and the gang are back, but they are not the characters we remember; Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, and Mangle have taken over the stage that once held Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy from the original movie, respectively. In addition, Balloon Boy, the Marionette, Withered Freddy, Withered Bonnie, Withered Chica, and Withered Foxy haunt the original restaurant.
With the return of characters Michael Schmidt, Abby Schmidt, William Afton, and Vanessa Shelly [Afton] in addition to new characters such as Henry Emily, Charlotte Emily, Michael Afton, and Lisa, the “FNAF 2” movie surpasses its predecessor with a nearly doubled budget and a much stronger plot.
Opening with a scene that is sure to leave you enticed, “FNAF 2” begins in 1982 with the murder of Charlotte Emily, in the middle of a busy Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. Charlotte goes on to possess the Marionette, being a vengeful spirit whose rage towards the neglectful parents at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria continues on.
Once Charlotte escapes, Vanessa and Michael Schmidt must work together to stop Charlotte from achieving her goal; while attempting to stop Charlotte and the toy animatronics, the animatronics from the first film make an appearance, and kill the toy animatronics.
The “FNAF” movie series has become an exceptional format of storytelling for this franchise, allowing for a less dense and theoretical lore, and a more visual and intuitive lore. Fans had high expectations for “FNAF 2.” With a budget of around $36 million according to IMDb, the film debuted making $29.8 million across Thursday premiere showings.
With the inclusion of more characters who are integral to the games plot, as well as with the incorporation of more horror “FNAF 2” raises the bar for the future of “FNAF” films. From seeing some of my favorite characters on screen, to some easter eggs like Shadow Bonnie’s brief appearance.
From having a stronger story, to higher quality animatronics, to being an overall much more cohesive film, “FNAF 2” surpasses its predecessor by a longshot; leaving a film that is sure to keep viewers up for the next five nights. With the foreshadowing of an upcoming “FNAF 3” movie much further down the line, all revealed through the release of a fantastic sequel to the original film adaptation, fans of the series have plenty to look forward to.
5/5 stars
