The slasher genre desperately needs a reimagining and thank god for Christopher Landon for being the one to hopefully set it on the right path. Freaky is not the best horror film ever made nor is it the most creative but there is something so hopeful and downright fun about almost everything that Blumhouse puts out. This film is no exception and it proves to be such an outright delight in every sense of the word. The idea taken from Freaky Friday is actually something that I am surprised a horror film has never done before (or if one has, I have not heard of it) and Landon tackles this premise with ease. From the performances to the unabashedly goofy writing, this film knows exactly how to play with its genre in the best ways possible. I might not have been as much of a fan of this as other people it seems like but if there is one thing for certain I can agree on, it's that Vince Vaughn needs to do more genuine horror.
Unpopular girl Millie (Kathryn Newton) is always ridiculed at her school for being unlikable and a bit awkward. The night of the homecoming football game, she is caught by her small town's fabled murderer, The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn), and after being stabbed by a mystical knife, the two of them switch bodies. Millie then has to go to her friends for help, as they realize she only has 24 hours to get her body back. What I have been absolutely loving about Christopher Landon's films is how he takes previously established and very well-known premises and completely flips them on their heads with a horror-comedy twist. While Happy Death Day might be the best example of this, taking the "over-and-over again" idea of Groundhog Day and throwing in a murderer in the mix, Freaky takes the body-switching theme of the Disney classic and incorporates the murderer as one of the main characters. This is such a radically original idea and one that had so much potential for twists and turns that the audience wouldn't be able to see coming for miles. However, while I do think the idea was executed very well by Landon's direction, it ran out of steam very quickly. The first fifteen minutes or so of this film is spectacular and really gives this movie its drive, as the slasher elements reared their head quite immensely. There are some excruciatingly painful and creative kills throughout this entire film but most are used right off the bat in the beginning. The very opening prologue is really the only time I would classify this film as a slasher because once the body-switching plot point happens, it becomes almost entirely a comedy. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but I was expecting a much stronger blend of the two contrasting genres and I was a bit disappointed when the film played out exactly like I thought it would. The story itself becomes really predictable and I feel like Landon did not utilize nearly enough creative potential that this premise had. There are some genuinely good moments that capitalize on the characters switching bodies but neither the horror nor the comedy sides were prevalent enough to make a huge impact on me. Which sucks because this kind of movie is very much my shit.
From the trailers, it was obvious that the biggest draw of this entire film was going to be Vince Vaughn, and just as I expected, he was undoubtedly the best part. Vaughn's performance as the killer and then as Millie trapped in his body was absolutely spectacular and he embodies both much better than I could have predicted. Vaughn as the Blissfield Butcher was fantastic and his massive build and frankly intimidating demeanor make for a perfect movie murderer and one that I feel like he should be getting more roles for. Vaughn as Millie, however, was just as great and his dainty, bodily movements paired with the painfully stereotypical, teenage lingo was just wonderful and made for quite a hilarious time. This really was the perfect vehicle for Vaughn to thrive in and while there were some moments in here that I would never guess Vaughn would be comfortable doing, he really goes all-out for us and shows no restraint. Newton was astounding too and while her initial character of Millie was practically just your conventional white blonde, the transition into a killer was great. A lot of moments in Freaky are very over-acted, including Newton's transformation into the butcher but if anything, it showed off how talented she is with nonverbal acting. I have seen her in a few, minor roles before but she really gets the chance to shine throughout this whole film. The technical pieces of this movie were never really anything special, but the editing, cinematography, and music choices all played along decently well to make this teenage horror-comedy into something pretty unique. Landon is starting to make a name for himself when it comes to his satires of the horror genre and as long as he keeps putting out products like this, I will happily pay money to see whatever he makes next. There are plenty of better examples of horror-comedies that parody the genre but for what it's worth, Freaky stands on its own as an adorably fun addition to the genre that is worth watching just for the kills alone.
Christopher Landon's Freaky is not one of the most memorable or remarkable horror-comedies to come out of the last few years but it is just wonderful enough to make for a fun experience. Vaughn and Newton are absolutely fantastic in their roles as each other (?) and I am so glad that we are able to get a cute and fun film like this to pass the time. It's no Happy Death Day, that's for sure, but there is just enough substance in this movie to make me want to watch it again. And like I said, cast Vince Vaughn in more horror because he deserves a fun resurgence more than anyone.
My Rating: ★★★
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