Directed by Christopher Landon (Scout's Handbook for the Zombie Apocalypse, Best Wishes for Your Death), Freaky is a horror comedy starring Kathryn Newton (Paranormal Activity 4) and Vince Vaughn (Cell Block 99: No One Can Stop Me).
The film follows the lead of the slasher subgenre concentrating, above all, in the comedy genre, territory in which the story unravels with ease enriching itself with funny and hilarious sequences related to the accidental exchange of bodies.
Freaky (USA - 2020) gives an unforgettable intro that, in the eyes of horror and slasher film fans could translate into a rapturous concentration of violence and blood. In fact, in the first minutes of the film, Christopher Landon proves his skills in handling a situation of horror and death when, a serial killer kills four boys in brutal ways, even sticking a glass bottle in the throat of one of the victims in order to lacerate their necks and, at the same time, strangle them.
After this remarkable sequence in which a chilling Vince Vaughn moves, Freaky resta radicato nel genere commedia per la maggior parte della sua durata, rispolverandone i cliché e soffermandosi sui temi adolescenza/bullismo e, soprattutto, su quello dello scambio dei corpi. Quest'ultimo aspetto non solo è il fulcro della storia ma è anche la base su cui si regge la grandiosa performance di Vince Vaughn. Dopo la maledizione, il personaggio da lui interpretato passa dall'essere uno spietato psicopatico a un soggetto vulnerabile e impacciato. Proprio l'abilità dell'attore nel gestire espressività e movenze femminili fa scattare una serie di sequenze comiche non indifferenti.
Less successful in this regard is the acting performance of Kathryn Newton who does not always manage her change as well as her colleague who, on the contrary, is able to cast herself in two distinct and completely opposite roles.
In a desperate attempt to break the curse, Freaky offre altri sprazzi di sangue, alternando divertimento a omicidi come l'uomo tagliato a metà con una sega circolare, i ragazzi sgozzati o uccisi con una motosega.
Ultimately Freaky is a good example of a horror comedy that well balances the two genres by making use of a good cast among which Vince Vaughn's performance certainly stands out.
Freaky is the story of Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton), a bullied 17-year-old girl who will be targeted by the Butcher (Vince Vaughn), her town's notorious serial killer. Because of an ancient dagger, however, the two will wake up in each other's bodies.
Millie will have only 24 hours to get her body back before the exchange becomes final, and with the help of some friends she will try to undo the curse.
In addition to the two aforementioned actors, the cast includes Celeste O'Connor, Misha Osherovich, Katie Finneran, Uriah Shelton, Dana Drori, Charles Green, Kelly Lamor Wilson, and Alan Ruck.
The screenplay is by Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy.
Freaky is available on DVD and Blu-ray thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Nel ricco comparto degli extra dell'edizione Blu-ray sono presenti anche: Scene tagliate; "Personalità dissociate: Millie VS. il macellaio"; "Il marchio horror di Christopher Landon"; Commenti al film.
