Freaky (2020)

By: Mike Ward on Thursday, November 12

R Running Time: 101 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • If you have the stomach for it, Freaky is a lot of fun.

  • Vince Vaughn gets his groove back comedically, as a fun supporting cast of young actors make Freaky way more fun than it probably has any right to be.

  • Fans of director Christopher Landon’s Happy Death Day films will see the director upping the ante with blood and gore, while his tongue is stuck permanently in his cheek with all of this.

NO

  • Not at all for the squeamish. There are some gnarly scenes of violence that may turn sensitive stomachs.

  • Some of the subplots and supporting characters are underwritten and motivations, at times, feel lazily constructed.

  • There are viewers who will find Freaky exactly what they asked for, while others will find this to be absolutely nothing they asked for.


OUR REVIEW

A body-swapping slasher film, based around the shopworn Freaky Friday idea pays some rich dividends as Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton match wits in Christopher Landon’s comedy/horror battle royale Freaky. As Vaughn brings forth his inner teenage girl, Newton broods with psychopathic resolve, as both actors deliver some silly and fun performances.

Set in Blissfield, Michigan, the town is wary of an urban legend of sorts, known as the Blissfield Butcher. High schoolers party, drink, have casual flings and live a carefree life until four popular kids succumb to a brutal series of murders from the not-so-mythical Butcher (Vaughn).

As is often the case in movies like this, high school classmates seem nonplussed by the death of their fellow students and football games keep happening and students matriculate and Millie (Newton) hangs with her friends. On a fateful night, Millie crosses paths with the Blissfield Butcher who has descended upon Blissfield High. From his previous murder spree, the Butcher obtained a mystical Aztec dagger and when he stabs Millie with it in the shoulder, a bizarre transmutation occurs where the Butcher is now in Millie’s body and Millie in the Butcher.

Let the wacky hijinks begin!

Landon, along with co-screenwriter Michael Kennedy, delve into the hierarchy of high school and play the stereotypes to the hilt. In a film that is frequently, gleefully over-the-top, the football jocks are all nasty, misogynistic frat boys. We have a token African-American character, Nyla (Celeste O’Connor). We also have Josh (Misha Osherovich), a gay best friend, and “nice boy” Booker (Uriah Shelton). All the tropes and caricatures are in place, but tossing in Vaughn with the high schoolers and Newton on a murderous rampage makes this feel fresh and fun.

Vaughn finds his groove again with his comedic timing, while Newton stews a menacing maniac pretty well. Sly humor and some funny one-liners populate frequently and the kills are excessive and gnarly. If you at all have a weak stomach, Freaky is going to test your mettle. It is one of the more violent mainstream movies of 2020.

At times, Freaky feels as if it is trying to uncover some allegory or statement on high school culture and then just bails on all of that for more silliness and blood. Not serving up complaints, but at times, Freaky feels like it isn’t sure how far to wade into any one direction - so the default is just gnarly mayhem.

In a different time (i.e. non-pandemic COVID-19 world), I imagine Freaky would probably do some nice business at the box office and give Vaughn a boost in his career and potentially make Newton elevate her exposure as a talented up-and-coming actor. At this point, Freaky will land in a handful of theaters and hope for an audience.

If you can handle the blood, and one scene in particular still has me shuddering, Freaky is a goofy slice of escapism that invests wholeheartedly in its story. There’s a hipster quotient the movie embraces a little too hard at times, but when I wasn’t cringing or wincing, the movie had me smiling and I imagine those interested in what Freaky has to offer will be doing the same.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Kathryn Newton, Vince Vaughn, Katie Finneran, Kelly Lamor Wilson, Celeste O’Connor, Misha Osherovich, Uriah Shelton, Alan Ruck, Melissa Collazo.

Director: Christopher Landon
Written by: Michael Kennedy, Christopher Landon
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Universal Pictures