Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 8, 2024

Writer/director Steven Kostanski has developed quite a filmography, working to energize cult cinema with efforts such as “The Void,” “Father’s Day,” and “Manborg.” He hit a creative peak in 2021, with “PG: Psycho Goreman” delivering big laughs and inventive visuals, skillfully balancing the absurd with the wonderfully strange in one of the year’s best movies. The helmer is back with “Frankie Freako,” and he’s not stepping away from his love of the bizarre, merging elements of “Gremlins” and “Home Alone” for this comedy, with star Conor Sweeney paired with a collection of puppets for an adventure into hardcore partying. There’s a lot to process while watching “Frankie Freako,” with Kostanski staying close to his low-budget roots, offering big imagination and entertainment value with the endeavor, delivering a textured romp with ghoulish beings and the “square” who’s summoned them. Kostanski’s vision for weirdness remains a delight in this enjoyably oddball adventure.

Conor (Conor Sweeney) is an office drone at Mega-Net, trying to impress his boss, Buechler (Dam Brooks), with his latest presentation, looking to land a promotion. He doesn’t succeed in his quest, but Buechler is happy to use the desperate man to take the fall involving shredded documents covering the manager’s financial misdeeds. Conor can’t shake being branded as “bland,” and he offers only loving, not sexual, attention to his wife, Kristina (Kristy Wordsworth), sending his spouse off to a work obligation for the weekend. Alone and ready for bad T.V. and early bedtimes, Conor is tempted by a commercial for a 1-900 phone number promising fun times with Frankie Freako (Matthew Kennedy) and his gang. Drawn to the ad, Conor connects with the strange creature, who arrives with pals Boink Bardo (Adam Brooks) and Dottie Dunko (Meredith Sweeney), ready to show the “square” a good time. What Conor doesn’t expect is complete chaos, with the Freakos taking over the household, putting the meek man on the defense.

“Frankie Freako” is a wacky creation, but Kostanski favors a drier sense of humor to best approach audiences with pure strangeness. Conor is a mild man who believes he’s cool, showing unearned confidence at his place of employment, where he’s planning to win over management with a project presentation that doesn’t work. At home, he’s a loving spouse to Kristina, but only offers his model-esque wife handholding in bed, leaving her underwhelmed. Conor is suddenly hit with a realization that he’s not an alpha male, soon targeted to become a patsy for Buechler, who needs incriminating files shredded, hoping to lure his employee into the office to do the deed on camera. “Frankie Freako” tracks this disillusionment with light stabs at office culture satire and domestic disappointments, getting some laughs along the way. However, the movie really comes to life when Conor makes his call to Frankie, unable to resist the lure of a monster with a 1-900 number promising a good time for all.

The Freakos are puppets, resembling Garbage Pail Kids creations, only these guys are ready to have a good time wherever they go (accompanied by “Body Double” sound-alike scoring from Blitz//Berlin). With Kristina out of the house, Conor is blasted by his new bros, who take over the dwelling, tearing it up while downing cans of “Fart Cola.” “Frankie Freako” studies Conor’s reaction to his new reality, watching in horror as Kristina’s art is trashed, but still drawn to Frankie’s promise of liberation. The writing eventually adds Buechler to the mix, with the boss paying a visit, only to find the interior rigged with traps Conor must navigate to make it out alive. “Frankie Freako” isn’t completely insane, with Kostanski mostly in love with visual jokes, taking time to examine the Freakos and their plans of attack, which involve a bear trap, gun-based tripwires, and an industrial-sized barrel of glue Conor keeps in his basement.

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.90:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Frankie Freako" delivers a colorful examination of the dual worlds found in the film. Domestic time with Conor highlights bright primaries and warmer hues, while the arrivals of the Freakos brings sharper puppet colors, with reds and blues. A visit to Freak World goes darker, reflecting the industrial hellscape, while lighting and additional creatures register as intended. Human skin tones are natural. Detail is generally quite good, examining the softer construction of the Freako characters and their bumpy skin. Freak World is also textured. Interiors are dimensional, and household chaos is open for inspection. Delineation is satisfactory.

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix provides crisp dialogue exchanges, with fresh human conversations and distinct voices for the Freakos. Scoring supports with a crisp synth sound, and musical moods push into the surrounds on occasion. Soundtrack selections are equally defined, with sharp vocals. Low-end isn't forceful, but offer some response with violent activity and beats. Sound effects are distinct, with brief directional movement, detailing household destruction and Freak World pursuit.

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Steven Kostanski, actor Conor Sweeney, and cinematographer Pierce Derks.

• "Fasten Your Freakbelts" (10:25, HD) is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Frankie Freako." The featurette is hosted by actor Conor Sweeney, and cameras follows the creation of the puppets used in the film, also visiting the set as puppeteers work their magic. There's a segment devoted to Sweeney's stunt work as well, giving him some bruises to manage.

• "Conor & Frankie" (8:54, HD) is billed as a "conversation between actors," with actor Conor Sweeney interviewing his puppet co-star. We learn more about Frankie's early acting interests, discovered during a production of "My Fair Lady." Apparently Frankie is also a registered Republican, finding Sweeney quickly changing the subject back to a discussion of "Frankie Freako." It's an amusing little exchange between the characters, but this was clearly thrown together without much planning.

• "Frankie Freako's Funtime Phone" (:47, HD) is a commercial for the 1-900 hotline that tempts Conor in the movie.

• "Antique Connoisseurs" (2:24, HD) offers a few segments from the faux show that appears in "Frankie Freako." Host Rob Delany interacts with a few guests, examining their items for appraisal, aways managing to disappoint those hoping for a major payday.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:22, HD) is included.

Frankie Freako Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

An explanation of the Freako way is explored in a faux educational film, providing a summary of the planet Freak World and its evil ruler, Freaklord President Munch (Rich Evans). While "Frankie Freako" is largely contained to Conor's home, the story does make the interdimensional jump to the alien planet, where the human is treated as concubine and his growing friendship with Frankie and the gang is put to the test. It's an enormously enjoyable escalation of madness, also displaying Kostanski's love for practical effects and bizarre creatures, executing small-scale fantasy events with sublime attention to squishy details. Perhaps "PG: Psycho Goreman" was a tad more active with humor and playful bits of horror, but "Frankie Freako" is a worthy follow-up, providing a funky return to Kostanski's artistry and impishness, sold with passion for the bizarre.