Review: ‘Freaky’
Hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt, Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy’s love letter to the slasher genre is one of the best films of the year.
Slasher films used to be a dime a dozen. Dominating the horror landscape throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the genre stumbled a bit throughout the ‘00s with a series of misguided remakes that left audiences cold before maintaining a more low-key presence within the industry (aside from a few notable exceptions) – and for good reason. Where do you go when no territory has been left uncharted, no rock left unturned?
Some have sought to deconstruct the genre, starting with 1995’s iconic Scream, which poked fun at the general “rules” of slasher movies, to Beyond the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, which took a more meta approach to turning those “rules” on their head. Others went for a more tongue-in-cheek route, poking fun at – if not outright mocking – familiar horror tropes, as was the case with The Cabin in the Woods. Christopher Landon, however, a self-confessed “huge fan” of the horror genre who already attempted to revisit it with his surprise hit Happy Death Day, has taken a less cynical and more earnest approach in his attempt at subverting the slasher movie with his latest film Freaky.
Starring Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn, Freaky centers on Millie Kessler (Newton), a 17 year old high school student who is still reeling after the death of her father. An outsider at school, where her only friends are fellow outcasts Nyla (Celeste O’Connor) and Josh (Misha Osherovich), Millie is constantly bullied by her fellow students, including Ryler (Melissa Collazo), and even her wood shop teacher Mr. Fletcher (Alan Ruck) as well. A chance encounter with a mysterious serial killer known as the Blissfield Butcher (Vaughn) ends with him and Millie switching bodies thanks to “La Dola”, a mysterious knife of Aztec origin. With only 24 hours left before the change becomes permanent, Millie (now in the Blissfield Butcher’s body) must find a way to return to her body, all while evading local law enforcement, including her police officer sister Char (Dana Drori), before it is too late.
Horror fans will have a blast with Freaky thanks to its referential nature (it references over a dozen horror films in its opening sequence alone) and its abundance of gore-y kills, but unlike other films of a similar nature, Freaky has much more going on for it beneath its shiny surface. Much like Happy Death Day, which was at its heart about loss and trauma, Freaky explores the feelings of grief that permeate throughout a person’s life after the death of a loved one. It also charts the feelings of guilt children often feel when they embark on their own lives and how those feelings can be spurred on by parents terrified of empty nest syndrome. It is a huge credit to the performances of Newton, Vaughn and Katie Finneran, who portrays Millie’s mother, that audiences will be able to sympathize with both child and parent instead of taking a side.
It is also incredibly refreshing to see a horror film that has no underlying contempt or resentment for its characters, treating each a every one of them with care and respect. None of them (or their identities) are reduced to punchlines, a stark contrast to the beloved slasher films of yore. Also absent is the abundance of gratuitous nudity and sex scenes that have become a mainstay of the genre, a refreshing change of that pace that ensures that a younger audience will be able to discover the film at some point as well. The representation in the film also feels natural and forward-thinking. As a huge fan of the genre, I can’t imagine how impactful it would have been for me to see myself represented in one of these films when I was younger. By giving audiences the opportunity to see themselves on-screen not only without any malice or ill intent but also as integral parts of the story that are crafted with the utmost care and respect, Landon and screenwriter Michael Kennedy have also given them the opportunity to not only feel seen but empowered as well.
Newton and Vaughn are absolutely fantastic as Millie and the Blissfield Butcher respectively (and vice versa). Their roles require them to establish enough of their characters early on to ensure that audiences connect with them so that when the “switch” happens, we would be able to identify certain personality traits and characteristics that carry on to both portrayals of Millie, and the Butcher as well. It is a huge testament to both actors that the “switch” feels natural and authentic instead of forced and gimmick-y. Vaughn, in particular, deserves credit for taking Millie’s story and journey seriously, playing most of it straight instead of cartoonish. It would have been easy to play the nuances of the role off for laughs but Landon and Vaughn take them seriously, allowing audiences to do so as well.
Referencing everything from Friday the 13th to Halloween to Scream to Sorority Row, Freaky could only have been written by fans of the genre. Much like Happy Death Day, it ultimately works because it doesn’t abhor the films its lampooning. Films like Cabin in the Woods and even Scream often looked down on the films they was referencing, sneering at them in a pretentious manner. Freaky wisely steps away from that approach and in the process, creates something truly special and unique: A love letter to the genre that ultimately feels fresh and completely original.
Rating: 4.5/5
Freaky is currently showing in theaters and will be released on VOD on November 30.