Freaky (2020) – Review/Summary (with Spoilers)
Similar to Happy Death Day, you’ll find Freaky has an unexpectedly good blend of horror and comedy – though it won’t do for its leads as we saw for Jessica Rothe.
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Similar to Happy Death Day, you’ll find Freaky has an unexpectedly good blend of horror and comedy – though it won’t do for its leads as we saw for Jessica Rothe.
| Director(s) | Christopher Landon |
| Screenplay By | Michael Kennedy, Christopher Landon |
| Date Released (Theatrical) | 11/12/2020 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Comedy, Crime, Horror, Romance, Young Adult, LGBT |
| Duration | 1 Hour 41 Minutes |
| Rating | Rated R |
| Noted Cast | |
| Millie | Kathryn Newton |
| Charlene | Dana Drori |
| Coral | Katie Finneran |
| Nyla | Celeste O’Connor |
| Josh | Misha Osherovich |
| Booker | Uriah Shelton |
| The Blissfield Butcher | Vince Vaughn |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Plot Summary
When it comes to Millie’s life, things are not as she would wish. With her dad dying a year prior, her older sister, Charlene, has drowned herself with work, their mother, Coral, drinks, and while Millie finds some escape through her best friends Nyla and Josh, college might be the only ticket out of the rut she is stuck in. However, there is also Booker, Millie’s crush, who she pines over.
But with her mother forgetting to pick her up after a football game, in which Millie acts as the mascot, she finds herself at the mercy of the Blissfield Butcher. Someone who, during the homecoming week for multiple decades, has killed young teens without rhyme or reason. The only thing known for sure is the death would be brutal.
Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Reason(s) for Film Rating: Graphic murders, gun violence, and cursing. There isn’t much, if any, nudity. However, there are moments when it is suggested that people are having sex.
- Jump Scares/ Laughs/ Tear-Jerking Moments: Jump Scares (4) & Laughs (5)
Review
Highlights
How Brutal The Killings Are [86]
Admittedly, we flinched once because the level of violence wasn’t expected. Yet, even when you adjust to how The Butcher decides to kill people, and the film following up with you seeing bodies cut in half, the kills are still brutal. To the point that, if you are into horror movies, you appreciate it because it doesn’t hold back or try to attain a PG-13 rating. It goes all-in, violence wise, to be rated R.
Josh and Vince Vaughn Pretending To Be A Teenaged Girl [84]
Does Josh fit a litany of gay stereotypes? Yes. However, while Nyla is a stick in the mud, Josh is unapologetic and not politically correct. Case in point, he talks about molesting some drunk boys and testing their sexuality at the homecoming dance. So, needless to say, he is problematic in so many ways.
Yet, if you aren’t like Nyla and find Josh offensive, you’ll be fine with it. But, even if you are like Nyla, imagine watching a grown man like Vince Vaughn being dainty and girly – it’s hilarious. Especially as you reconcile the same man who is lifting these kids and murdering them can switch it up and confess their love for a teenaged boy and so many other awkward moments.
On The Fence
The Attempt To Go Deeper [73]
The film tries to give itself some depth by going into Coral’s grief, how that affects her relationship with her girls, and while it is a valiant effort, it falls a bit flat. I’d even say, taking note of the Happy Death Day reference, it almost feels like they tried to replicate the scene her character had with her father about her mom. But rather than give us a heartfelt moment that gets you in your emotions, it just seems like an attempt for the movie to have it all.
The problem is, while the scene helps you understand why Coral drinks, it doesn’t deliver the performance needed to get you in your feelings. You just get facts.
The Butcher Is Just A Psycho – There Isn’t A Mentioned Means To His Madness [72]
Considering how Coral was handled, never mind Millie, in terms of making them more than meets the eye, perhaps The Butcher just being a psychopath was a good thing. I mean, bringing Happy Death Day back into this, one of the worst things about the first movie was the villain reveal and learning their motive.
Yet, considering The Butcher lives at the mill, with drug addicts, kills only teens, and only during a specific time of the year, there is a need to ask, why? Which, even with the rumors and stories presented, that is never answered.
Overall
| Rating | Mixed (Divisive) |
| Score | 78.75 |
| Summary | |
| Freaky feels like the kind of movie which should have competed for the box office during Halloween weekend. Yet, even with coming about as people barely acknowledge Thanksgiving and prep for Christmas, it is a welcome addition to the Horror/Comedy genre. | |
Ending Explained
La Dola was an Aztechian blade used in rituals that allowed Millie and The Butcher to swap bodies. However, it seems if the ritual isn’t complete, then the bodies are switched. Now, one thing that may not make sense is that Millie, in Vince Vaughn’s body, doesn’t stab to the point of any real harm to get her body back. This seems strange since, often, it’s not just blood but a life that has to be lost when it comes to Aztec rituals. But we are basing this thought off of the bastardization of Aztec culture shown in movies.
Getting back to the point, despite being shot up, The Butcher doesn’t die. So that was confusing yet, it’s only natural for the film to cut corners. But what you do have to appreciate is, while Millie didn’t get to take out The Butcher during their original fight, when he hunts her down, she, alongside her sister and mother, do subdue him. Then, to regain her power, Millie is the one who lands the final blow, which effectively kills The Butcher.
Does Freaky Have Sequel Potential?
The Butcher is dead-dead, with a broken chair leg through the sternum, so there isn’t any real sequel potential here. Now, could they do a prequel? Yes. But let’s not ruin the magic.
