Despite Some Setbacks, Freaky Is A Freaky Good Time
Halloween has passed us by. The good news, horror fans can still get their fix with the newest Blumhouse release, Freaky. A horrific twist on the Freaky Friday movie, the movie follows a high school girl and a deranged serial killer as they switch bodies. The end result isn’t what you’d expect it to be. But, let me make one thing clear, this is an R-rated film for a reason.
If you’ve seen Happy Death Day 1 and 2, you’ll have an idea of what the general tone of this film is. Freaky is directed by Christopher Landon, the director of the latter two films. His horror/comedic style is once again on display. Not only a graphic film, rather funny as well. This is entirely true with Vince Vaughn’s character, Blissfield Butcher.
As the switch happens, Vaughn transforms into a teenage girl. If you’ve seen some of Vaughn’s comedic work, you’ll know that roles like this are up his alley. The sort of off the wall, slapstick comedy he’s known for. No exception here, as he really sells the film’s comedic moments.
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While Vaughn does his fair share of the comedy, this is also a gruesome film with its fair share of jumpscares. Again, it’s rated R for a reason. One scene in particular set in a woodshop class will have you covering your eyes. That’s not the only gruesome moment you’ll encounter. Plenty more of it to be had throughout the film.
As for the film itself, it’s the horror version of Freaky Friday. There are very few twists or surprises, and a few minor plot issues. An issue that stands out involves the very end of the film.
(SPOILER)
When asked how Millie (Kathryn Newton) will tell the cops about what happened, her response was to tell a form of the truth. That doesn’t really work. More needed to go into that piece of dialogue, especially because her sister is a cop and her best friends essentially chauffeured Millie (as the Blissfield Butcher )around town. How is anyone going to believe her story?
That’s a minor fault with the film. A big problem is the ending. They obviously set you up for a sequel. But, the final scene pretty much ruins all hope of that. In a way, you understand why the scene was put there. However, ending the film five minutes sooner, or replacing the ending in general, might have given a bit more suspense.
As far as standout scenes go, there’s a moment with Vaughn’s character, playing as Millie, and Booker (Uriah Shelton), her longtime crush. The two get pretty open with each other in the back of a car. A funny, kind of joking scene that pokes fun at the body-switching dilemma.
I wouldn’t say this is a highlight film of 2020. Yes, it’s good, not great. There are some redeeming parts to Freaky, yet, some things that are rather cringe-worthy and unsettling. Give it a try if you need a horror/comedy fix.
Image Source: Brian Douglas/Universal Pictures
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
