As is the case for many of us these days, visits to the theater are few and far between. I am someone who appreciates the theater experience and will continue to do my part to support them whenever possible. I was able to hit the IMAX a couple months ago to see Christopher Nolan's Tenet which was fantastic – I had been looking forward to that one for quite awhile so I was glad it made the leap to theaters. I have been more selective as of late as well and recently I was able to venture out to see the horror comedy Freaky, starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton. From production company Blumhouse, Freaky tells the story of a teenage girl who swaps bodies with a crazed serial killer.
Seventeen-year-old Millie Kessler is just trying to survive the never-ending nightmare that is the halls of Blissfield High and the cruelty of the popular crowd. But when she becomes the newest target of The Butcher, her town’s infamous serial killer, her senior year becomes the least of her worries. After swapping bodies with deranged serial killer, Millie discovers she has less than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent.
I am and always have been a huge fan of the slasher genre, the Friday the 13th franchise being my favorite, so the premise for Freaky stood out to me. I also really enjoyed the Happy Death Day films which share the same director, Christopher Landon. Admittedly I was just excited to be going to the movie theater again, and I was able to check out a local theater that serves a full menu as well. So there I was, a plate full of chicken tenders and waffle fries and an ice cold 24oz Allagash White with the orange slice garnish just the way I like it - now THAT is my happy place. I mean, a black and white foreign language musical could have played on that screen in front of me and I would have been content (maybe), but lucky for me it was more than the food and beer and comfy recliner that made it all worth the price of admission.
Freaky is absolutely a horror comedy, comedy first really, but it has a fun Freaky Friday meets Happy Death Day sort of premise that just worked for me. It is a very manageable length at right around an hour and a half, and is paced well. It starts out like a classic Friday the 13th film which damn near had me clapping, complete with a mask that felt like a mix between Jason and Leatherface (yes please!). The acting is great and fits the tone of the film perfectly, which has that never quite takes itself too seriously vibe which works.
Vince Vaughn is fantastic in his role and I honestly couldn't picture anyone else of his stature pulling off a serial killer and a high school girl simultaneously. Classic role reversal. Kathryn Newton, who has played her fair share of roles including Big Little Lies and Blockers, does a really great job as well. I honestly had no issue with the cast in general, it all worked for me. This is just a fun movie that will surely have a ton of re-watchability.
For the social media trolls bashing the film, I can just about guarantee you they either didn't even see it and are trying to seem cool, or mommy and daddy took away their Xbox and they are struggling to channel that anger. Or they just lack the presence of mind to actually understand what type of film Freaky is. This is not a true horror film, which should be obvious, and if it had to me put into just one genre I suppose it would be comedy but you can't ignore the legit horror elements vis-a- vis serial killers and gory murders.
Imagine Happy Death Day Meets Friday the 13th, complete with epic kills and tons of slasher nostalgia (minus the nudity though, BS I know), and that my friends sums up Freaky – a movie that is a blast from start to finish and well worth the price of admission. Recommended.
TED TAKES RATING - 8/10
Freaky is now in theaters and available On-Demand. Check out the trailer below.