The 2020 comedy body swapping horror Freaky entertains, but, it’s an odd one. Funny in some places, disconcerting in others, this is a curious mix of being meta and a tad disturbing.
Having said all that, I first watched this over a year ago and liked it. I never got around to reviewing it. Freaky was then forgotten. Until; YouTube favourite “What Culture” mentioned it in a “10 films” round up so I decided to watch this Freaky Friday redux again. *Side note: A lifetime ago I wrote for them for a brief period. Even then, before YouTube, they did the old “numbers game.”*
The Story
Millie comes from a dysfunctional family. Dad’s dead, mum is a drunk and sis is a cop who hates her mother. The Blissfield Butcher is still going strong as a serial killer, albeit, an aging one.
Their paths and bodies are about to cross. And it’s going to be murder.
One way or another.
The Cast
Vince Vaughn is The Butcher.
Kathryn Newton is Millie.
Celeste O’Connor is Nyla.
Misha Osherovich is Josh.
Uriah Shelton is Booker.
Dana Drori is Char.
Katie Finneran is Coral, AKA Millie’s mum.
Cameos Count
Alan Ruck is Mr. Bernardi.
It Works
Directed by Christopher Landon, who shares writing credit with Michael Kennedy, Freaky uses a few tropes and a number of cliches. Despite the nods and nudges to trope town, the film works.
The school setting is reminiscent of Wes Craven’s Scream. Millie’s mum Coral has a drinking problem, a la Nightmare on Elm Street; another Craven classic.
The film is a cross between a darn scary, yet funny, film. Touches of Friday the 13th, the aforementioned Scream (Kind of the entire franchise, come to think of it.) and even Halloween. Although the snappy soundtrack orchestrated by Bear McCreary is more indicative of the Scream verse.
Choreography
The stunt choreography is spot on. Each fight sequence snaps and feels almost like the real deal. Sloppy yet intricate. The Butcher’s almost effortless murder spree is cold and calculated. Later, when the two main protagonists swap bods, Millie has to work harder but she exhibits the same cold approach as Vaughn’s serial killer.
No Really, it’s me
The two leads; Vaughn and Newton sell the swap brilliantly. Vaughn effortlessly becomes a 17 year old girl. Newton turns convincingly into a brutish and cold serial killer. Without these masterful portrayals, Freaky would not have worked, or been borderline disturbing.
Kudos to both actors for killing it. (No puns intended.)
Freaky feels old school. It is like a “throwback” film. There is an ’80’s/’90’s vibe to it and it makes the film work brilliantly.
The Verdict
I have no problem giving Freaky 5 stars for the clever and amusing plotline alone. Everything does pretty much come together here for a great popcorn munching time. Universal and Blumhouse knocked this one out of the park. The film is streaming on Peacock, Bravo, E, et al. It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy this comedic slasher offering. Head on over and watch this one. Thank me later.
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