We have something new for a change! Movie theaters and Hollywood have both been hit pretty hard this year since coronavirus, but with movies like “Tenet” and “New Mutants” leading the charge back, we are slowly getting back into the swing of things. Usually during Halloween season, a big mainstream movie is promoted; this year it has come out in November and that is “Freaky.”
Andrew Pahl
Movie Reviewer
“Freaky” was directed by Christopher Landon who brought you movies like “Happy Death Day” and the “Paranormal Activity” sequels. It stars Kathryn Newton as Millie and Vince Vaughn as the Blissfield Butcher. This is a movie about a serial killer who accidentally switches bodies with a teen, Millie, and she has 24 hours to switch them back. Otherwise, they are stuck in each other’s bodies forever. A common theme swings through Hollywood these days: taking ideas from different plots from non-horror movies and putting a horror spin on them. This film was mostly inspired by the “Freaky Friday” movies, and I can say that at least this twist on the slasher genre was fun to see.
The movie is paced slower than it should have been, but watching the dynamic of a serial killer in a teenage girl’s body was interesting enough. However, I could do without all the callbacks and homages to older slasher movies. For example, a kill happens in the movie (I know, shocker) and afterwards the killer tilts his head looking at the body, a definite callback to Michael Myers. Even the text on the screen, along with the killer’s mask, are ripoffs of “Friday the 13th.” It looked like the effects department didn’t even try to hide it. This aspect of the movie was really disappointing.
Vaughn acting like a teenage girl is pretty funny. He honestly carries the film for the most part. He cuts loose, and you can tell he is enjoying the role, even as the killer. He gives off the mysterious creepy sense of a slasher villain when he is called upon to do so. Once Newton has to play the killer, she becomes less interesting and doesn’t speak, which is a bit of a downer, but enough before the switch the script makes it odd for the audience to root for. She is by no means an ugly person, but the script makes her fellow students bully her. I just don’t buy it. Aside from those two characters, everyone else is bland or annoying, especially one of Millie’s best friends. The characters speak in this trendy fashion, as if it’s a Twitter feed, and it’s apparent this dialogue will become irrelevant and dated fast.
A major positive for this movie is its use of practical effects. Similar to the “Friday the 13th” franchise, the most memorable aspects of the movie are the kills. Despite too many references to the classics, such as a fisherman’s hook used as a weapon just like in “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” the kills were fun regardless.
All in all, this movie wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be when I saw the trailer for the first time. It’s not the worst slasher I have ever seen, but you may find some horror movies better. I’m going to give “Freaky” 2.5 out of 5 stars.