Freaky Review Movie
Freaky Review
Christopher Landon is, it appears, on a mission to inject some fun to the genre of horror. After the snarky but predictable Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse The director hit comedy-horror gold with the 2017's Happy Death Day and its equally funny sequel. The latest film, Freaky is a sequel to this formula, cranking up the gore and gags to make for a slyly funny film that draws a lot from a surprisingly simple concept.
Filmed under the name Freaky Friday 13th (potential trademark infringements being the most terrifying aspect of this tale) the film of Landon wears its influence with enthusiasm. The film begins with a visceral-strewn opening where Vaughn's massive Butcher takes on a home full of teens in a raunchy scene We're then given a myriad of hilarious kills that make up for the film's 15-rated rating in the initial five minutes. The Butcher is surrounded by a tribal mask. The Butcher unleashes bloody chaos with objects ranging from a tennis racquet to a toilet seats, all with a tongue firmly placed in a joke and slashed with a hilarious humor that is pitch-black. Making a film that is gory but not gloomy, Landon commits early to throwing out the Vor-heehees prior to setting in place Blissfield High as a very Camp Crystal Lake.
The film's (knowingly absurd) plot is delivered by the use of a MacGuffin that takes the form of an attractive-looking Aztec dagger that proves perfect for eviscerating teenagers, but also bears the curse of an old timer. When the blade is used against a beleaguered Millie (Kathryn Newton) following the school's homecoming game (the scene of her fleeing from her feared killer in a massive beaver costume is one that will be remembered for a long time) The film's bloody body-swap begins.
Vince Vaughn mines every ounce of absurdity out of the 6'5" man who has the mannerisms of a teenager girl.
It's easy to forget how skilled comic Vince Vaughn is from his most recent works (neither Dragged Across Concrete nor Brawl In Cell Block 99 were notable for their giggle-a-minute lullabies). After several years of straight-talking, Vaughn hurls himself into Freaky's disembodied co-ed with unabashed joy. In a scene-stealing manner Vaughn effortlessly slips into Millie's high school upspeak. He is flirting with her classmate and performs a rousing dance routine, and revels in the delights of a stand-up smooching ("You must see this it's like an anteater that's floppy! !"). It's an extremely enjoyable show in which Vaughn is completely unreserved in his performance. With Millie's two BFFs who are sassy (Misha Osherovich as well as Celeste O'Connor, who both excel in their role), Vaughn mines every inch of comedy from the 6'5" man who has the mannerisms and wit of a teenage girl, and bouncing off his co-stars in a way that is consistently hilarious and convincingly real.
Newton is nearly as effective as the glowering murderer, who tries his best to carry on the bloodbath, sometimes being interrupted by Millie's mom for not being on time for school. As Millie's murderous alter-ego reinvents his host as a leather-jacket-wearing badass, the film takes on the guise of a twisted high-school Pygmalion ('She's All Axe?'). The film is a hilarious satire of schadenfreude. the film delights in allowing "Millie" to be a murderous revenge-seeker on everyone, from the school and jocks to the bullying bullies. The faculty too are subject to Killie Millie's fury as her violent CDT teacher (a excellently hissy Alan Ruck) discovers to his own detriment.
A soaring sense of fun excitement mostly covers the weak plot, even though some of the character scenes are a jumble of notepads. Millie's job as caregiver for her mother who is alcoholic feels over-exaggerated and the bonding scene between Vaughn as Millie and Mrs. Kessler in a department store changing room isn't real or credible. While Landon is determined to detail Millie's family life, he does not make attempt to do so with his Butcher himself, preferring to let him emerge from urban myth and assume the character of the sly, malicious bogeyman even Jason was a father!
The sub-Scream's sensitivity to the genre might be a little self-conscious for some ("You're Black, I'm gay We're dead! !"), however the film's arch-cheerfulness is the main reason for its popularity. Landon has once again succeeded in delivering an entertaining and effective horror movie that's tons of fun. The formula doesn't get a boost nearly as much like it did in the Happy Death Day movies, however, it's more than an amalgamation of horrific sequences. An original, hilarious and thrilling addition to this year's horror tradition.
