Director Christopher Landon, who previously made "Happy Death Day" and "Happy Death Day 2U," is etching his name in the horror genre. He takes previously used story tropes and spins them into a horror movie, in the hopes of revitalizing a group of movies that can seem tired and clichéd. The "Happy Death Day" movies took on "Groundhog Day" and his latest, "Freaky," makes a slasher out of "Freaky Friday."
Landon isn't trying to create something entirely new with his movies, but rather show there is fun to be had with storylines we've seen many times before. Make no mistake, "Freaky" is a largely predictable outing from start-to-finish, but there is plenty of fun to be had along the way.
"Freaky" opens as most horror movies do: There is a large gathering of teenagers who are drinking and hooking up and trying to have a good time. Little do they know the infamous killer The Butcher (Vince Vaughn) has entered the party; he starts killing them off one-by-one. Through a series of silly and screenplay-manufactured circumstances, The Butcher ends up switching bodies with Millie (Kathryn Newton), a high school teenager who is often the target of bullies.
Millie wakes up the next morning completely confused. She looks like Millie but doesn't feel like her. Why does she feel like killing her mother and sister? Conversely, The Butcher wakes up as Millie and has to explore life as a grown, six-foot-plus man. There's always a ticking clock on these types of movies, so Millie and The Butcher have 24 hours to switch bodies back before the change becomes permanent.
There's enough fun to be had watching Millie and The Butcher navigate life in their new bodies. Newton taps into the dead-eyed anger needed to channel The Butcher, while Vaughn has a total blast playing a teenage girl. Their performances aren't just about sounding and acting like their swapped personas, but also engaging with the physicality needed to make their performances believable. Both actors are up to the task and pull it off.
"Freaky" features a ton of gore and a few inventive kills to whet the appetite of horror fans, and its energy is consistently high the whole way through. The movie's gleeful spirit overrides the tired formula and, coupled with the two leads' performances, makes for a fun ride.
"Freaky" began a theatrical run Nov. 13 and is available digitally as of Dec. 4.
| Movie title | Freaky |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2020 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This new horror-comedy puts a fun spin on a familiar formula. |
