'Freaky' is a horror comedy, putting a new spin on the body-switching trope by subjecting a tormented high school girl to switch bodies with a serial killer.
The film opens with a gruesome sequence, showing the Blissfield Butcher in action, as he wades through a group of teenagers hanging out at one of their houses. Afterwards we are presented with Millie - a mild mannered teenager dealing with the loss of her father. We are introduced to her sister, working as a police officer, and her mother, - a kind yet troubled woman with a drinking problem. At school, Millie forms part of a trio of friends with Nyla and Josh, but is also revealed to be picked on by other kids.
After the news breaks of the Blissfield Butcher's most recent escapade, everyone is on high alert and the school homecoming gets cancelled. Prior to that however, Millie is attacked by the Butcher and is stabbed by his signature knife - La Dola - inadvertently initiating the curse that causes the two to switch bodies.
The following morning the two awaken in each others bodies. Discovering their surroundings and coming to terms with what has transpired, the Butcher, now in Millie's body, adapts and carries on as her, heading to school where he satisfies his murderous urges by killing a classmate in a cryotherapy tank and killing the woodshop teacher, Mr. Fletcher, with a buzzsaw.
Meanwhile, Millie, walking around in the Butchers body finds it hard to function as she is recognised as the killer in the street and does not know who to turn to. Eventually, she convinces Nyla and Josh that a body switch has happened and the trio figure out that Millie has to stab the Butcher with La Dola before 24 hours have passed since the inciting incident in order to reverse the curse or remain that way forever.
Later that night the school students throw a party in lieu of the homecoming, and the Butcher, having realised he has immunity due to how he looks now, goes on a killing spree. Millie, Nyla and Josh figure out that the Butcher may be there. As they track him down, the group manages to force him to the ground and stab him with La Dola, reversing the curse. Butcher is shot, and appears to die in the ambulance on his way from the scene of the incident.
Millie, now home, is comforted by her mother and sister, yet has to face off one final time with the Butcher as he managed to fake his death, escape and sneak into Millie's house. The three women fight the killer, with Millie dealing the final blow, reclaiming her confidence and acknowledging her strength.
The film provides an exciting twist on the body-switching trope by adding an element of horror to the story, allowing the tone of the film to veer into a new direction. The before seen body swap tool has been used in comedies, science fiction and supernatural films, however the added element of horror in this feature allows for comedy to work in tandem with horror to bring about the theme of self discovery and identity in a new fashion.
'Freaky' works well in that it leans into the absurdity of the body switch by exploring the drastically opposing forms the two individuals, Millie and the Butcher possess, namely their vastly different physiques besides the fact that they are the opposite sex.
Through the course of the story the message of power is explored. The Butcher learns to take advantage of his seemingly innocent appearance and plays it to his advantage, misdirecting police officers and manipulating adults around him to divert attention from his crimes. Millie initially struggles to adapt to her new body and is chased by the people surrounding her as the Butcher is easily recognised as the serial killer. However, as the story progresses, the Butcher struggles to commit his crimes, blaming the inability of Millies body to perform to the level that he is used to, calling it weak and worthless. However, Millie discovers the strength that Buthchers body possesses and adapts to it, strategically using it to her advantage where necessary. Through this, 'Freaky' presents the identity crisis in a palpable and interesting manner, showing that once an individual finds themselves in a difficult situation, they have to make the best of it through adapting to the circumstances and playing to their strengths.
Beyond exploring the physical abilities of the main characters, 'Freaky' delves deeper into tackling the psychological hurdles that Millie has to overcome. In dealing with her fathers passing, Millie has become quiet and a little closed off, spending a lot of her free time with her mother rather than socialising. Millie also has to deal with being picked on in school, adding to her quiet demeanour. Through the course of her journey, she is able to discover that her strength comes from within, as after the switch back to her own body and as she is attacked by the Butcher, she declaims that she "is a piece", denoting her acknowledgement of her abilities stemming from within.
Vince Vaughn plays the Blissfield Butcher, portraying the murderer and Millie after the body switch. Vaughn lights up the screen as he portrays the teenage girl trapped in the killers body, leaning into the somewhat clichéd perception of a teenage girl. Even although there are predictable moments as to the reaction the Butcher/Millie will present, they are outweighed by the delightfully hilarious scenes where the audience gets to witness a grown man shrieking in a high pitch. The actor presents great character work and delivers some of the best moments in the feature by going all out and embracing Millie's character without making her appear too vapid or flippant, an by creating truly heartfelt moments when interacting with Millie's family.
Kathryn Newton portrays Millie, a troubled and quiet high schooler trying to find her place in the world. Newton‘s character has to deal with a variety of teenage issues - crushes, family life and friends, and also the loss of her father. Newton is able to deliver Millie fabulously at the start of the movie and after switching back to her body at the end. Once the Butcher has Millie's body, Newton portrays a menacing and relentless killer that exudes a chilling presence, that can be especially felt during one of the killers attacks in showing how persistent he is in his goals. Newton does a great job and conveys a truly convincing performance.
The film is written by Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy and directed by Landon. The creators of 'Freaky' have taken the body switching trope to a new level by presenting it through a horror lens. Even though the story is told mostly to comedic effect, there are elements to it that are truly suspenseful and make the film truly exciting. By incorporating horror into the mix, 'Freaky' delivers a fun and exciting experience that provides both shocks and laughs. Beyond its two staple characteristics, the film also manages to drive home a more significant message about self discovery and the realisation of ones own abilities. In telling Millie's story, 'Freaky' has successfully delivered a message about empowerment and self-respect, making it not only a fun romp but also sending out a positive message about inner strength.
Score: 3/4
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