Five Nights at Freddy’s was a significant part of my childhood. From watching gameplay on Youtube, to screaming every time I played it with friends. When the first movie came out, the nostalgia instantly drew me to the film. Despite low reviews and backlash, I actually really liked the first film. I found it canonically accurate and a respectable nod to the fan base. However, I see what a lot of viewers were saying as far as lacking the horror aspect of the film. If anything, it made viewers feel more sympathetic and into the background and storyline, rather than tapping into the horror aspect of the movie that the games contain. Regardless, a second movie was produced and made, based on the sequel game, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and its storyline. And thank god it was.
In the first film, if you had no prior knowledge about the storyline of the game, some aspects of the film may have missed the spot or seemed random. However, in the second film, they do a better job at making the audience understand the plot and its relevance without having prior knowledge. It’s almost like the first film was for the fans and the second was for the general audience, which is not a bad thing either. Rather, more inclusive to movie watchers and horror fans. Speaking of which, the second movie really nailed the bar on. Instead of personifying the animatronics, which made sense for building the storyline in the first film, the second film captured them for that they actually were – dangerous, haunted machines that kill. And in this film, you really see these animatronics at their worst – not as to what they once were but what they are now, and how they have no mercy and just kill. Lastly, the jump scares, which are a huge part of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise games, were much more terrifying in this movie. This is important for a canonically accurate movie but also to make the films as intense as the games are. Watching this movie really had my friends and I jumping and genuinely afraid. This film had us mad at the characters, like these people were real and responsible for how the plot worked out. It truly was a good movie all the way through and I didn’t even realize how long we had been watching it until the movie ended.
Overall, the movie not only patched up any misses or holes people had poked in the first film, but also improved the aspects they did well. The film was a lot more intense, scary and important for the storyline, and building up the plot for the third film but also for producing a must-watch sequel. This movie had you engaged the entire time, while also making an enjoyable experience watching (if you like horror). This film carried off a rare feat, being a sequel that was better than the original. And if you liked the first film, like the games or want to give this franchise a second chance, I highly recommend going out and watching this film!