Film Review: 'Freaky'
Among all of the subgenres of horror movies, the slasher flick remains one of the most famous. With infamous killers such as Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Leatherface, the slasher genre terrorized the silver-screen from the late ’70s all the way through the ’80s. However, as years passed, the slasher genre started to grow tired and while icons such as Freddy and Jason still remained relevant in the public eye, people no longer took the same satisfaction in watching troublemaking teenagers getting axed (literally) one-by-one. Still, the slasher feature lives on through the 2020s “Freaky” but with a more unique, even comedic approach. Is “Freaky” a film to watch out for? Or is it a mere copycat killer? Let’s grab our machetes and cut into this.
I would never have expected a comedian such as Vaughn to play a genuinely threatening murderer but he does!
To begin, let’s describe the general plot of the movie. High school teenager Millie (Kathryn Newton) is the unpopular girl at school and her outlook on life is not helped by her less-than-ideal home life. She lives in Blissfield, a small, peaceful town with plenty of beautiful sights to see, as well as a rampaging serial killer known as the Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn). Do you know the movie, “Freaky Friday,” where a daughter switches bodies with her mother? Well, that’s “Freaky,” except instead of a teenage girl switching bodies with her mother, she switches bodies with a serial killer. After a curse is invoked involving a magic dagger, Millie is trapped in the body of the murderer and the murderer is trapped in her body. She only has 24 hours to reverse this switch before it becomes permanent. As she struggles with this, the Butcher has plans of his own now that he is in a new, innocent-looking form.
The actors do an extraordinary job in this movie. Kathryn Newton is amazing as both an unpopular high school girl as well as a serial killer trapped inside the body of an unpopular high school girl. Speaking of serial killers, Vaughn is phenomenal here! I would never have expected a comedian such as Vaughn to play a genuinely threatening murderer but he does! When he is in his original body in the beginning, he clearly takes a lot of cues from Voorhees, being a tall, strong, mask-wearing killer and even captures similar body language with the slow walk and lumbering frame. As for his portrayal as Millie trapped in the body of the Butcher, it is highly entertaining and he brings a lot of energy into the movie.
Actors aside, I have to say that I love a lot of things about this movie. First, I will say that I praise how this movie goes for a “show don’t tell” approach when introducing characters. In the introduction of Millie, the movie wants to let you know that her home-life is not great but they never go out and explain it to your face. Instead, it unfolds with Millie’s family at the table for breakfast but her dad is among them. Then, there is a quick shot of Millie hiding college applications from her mom. Then Char, Millie’s older sister, goes over to the garbage can and finds an empty wine bottle in there. This is followed by Char gazing at her guilty-looking mother in disapproval. This was a perfect introduction and I applaud the writers for executing this.
As a horror fan, I absolutely adored the effort they put into the horror elements of this movie. The events of the movie take place on “Friday the 13th,” which is so corny but I love it. One thing to consider is that this movie is technically a slasher movie and slasher movies are famous for their over-the-top kills. This movie does not disappoint in that regard. A girl gets cryogenically frozen and shattered in a very clear nod to the liquid nitrogen kill from “Jason X.” One guy gets a wine bottle shoved down his throat as it shatters and another gets cut in half on a saw table. They do not hold back on the gore, which means that this movie definitely deserves its R-rating.
What is also fantastic about this movie is the logic of the body switch. This is evident with the Butcher continuing his rampage in Millie’s body. Normally, the butcher has the strength and size to easily kill and intimidate his victims but now he is a girl with significantly less muscle mass. While he is still able to kill as he wishes, it requires a lot more effort on his part and there are scenes where he (she?) actually struggles. Meanwhile, Millie is now in a tall, muscular, physically imposing body and her behavior changes in this new, more powerful form. She is able to stand up for herself more and act more courageously. Throughout the movie, Millie grows and learns to be more self-confident, despite the strange circumstances she finds herself in. I will say that this is the greatest example of a self-empowerment movie that just so happens to have serial killers.
All in all, Freaky was a very pleasant surprise. Not only was it a great love letter to the classic slasher genre but it is also genuinely charming with the snappy sense of humor that teen movies are known for. In an age where most horror movies that hit the big screen end up being tired and stale imitations of the last, “Freaky” goes out of its way to affectionately use horror tropes while showcasing its own unique appeal.
I give “Freaky” 9 bloodstained chainsaws out of 10.
