Photo via DeviantArt under CC BY-NC 4.0
by Gus Walker
Regal Bellingham, now showing FNAF 2 in theaters (Gus Walker)
On December 5th, the sequel to the Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF) movie came to theaters. This past Saturday, I was able to watch it at the Regal movie theater in Bellingham to give my opinion on it and see if it would live up to what I've heard about it in the past couple of weeks.
For starters, this movie feels like the filmmakers really took the fans' advice and put it into the film. The movie itself is not only much scarier than the last, but it is executed very well in many different ways. For example, it leaves the viewer on edge and wondering what will happen next during the whole duration of the movie. It touches on various aspects, such as mystery and setting up future scenes perfectly. This sequel pushes very deep into its own lore and intense energy that the fans asked for, and is executed wonderfully.
As for the characters, it is amazing how many new characters that fans already know and love from lore, games, and more are introduced. Although some characters are introduced without explanation at first, we later find out who they are and what their purpose is, which creates a sense of suspense, fitting with what many viewers anticipated.
Further, the added details to the characters bring out even more emotional weight, helping the film not to be just another jump-scare type of movie. This movie works in ways that make it more unsettling than just cartoonish, working to entertain many audiences.
This sequel's atmosphere and tone nail exactly what the first movie had, and what there should have been more of. The main location is claustrophobic and decrepit, and the sound design has the viewer on the edge of their seat, with the loud music and effects during fight scenes, and the low, unsettling tone during suspenseful scenes.
I also noticed how this sequel is physically and literally darker compared to the original movie, adding even more suspense to the plot and lore.
Overall, this movie is a must-watch for fans of the games and lore as it captures the dark and tense atmosphere that the games have, while still embracing the franchise's horror style without losing the plot and emotional sense that everybody wants. This film has some genuinely scary scenes and is executed perfectly to the suspenseful atmosphere of the games.
I hope that you can go watch the movie before it leaves the theaters because it is one you shouldn't miss!