Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Freaky Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 28, 2021

Most of the body swapping pictures of yore thrive on the comedic overtones born of the sudden switch-a-roo as characters experience out-of-body realities, returning to school for the first time in a long time or stepping into the perils and pitfalls of adulthood without any sort of experience-based safety net to catch them. Films like Vice Versa, Like Father Like Son, and Freaky Friday (and its remake) have delighted audiences with simple gags born of complex physical, mental, and emotional new realities presenting themselves fully and remorselessly in a moment's notice. Director Christopher Landon's (Happy Death Day) Freaky takes a similarly humorous approach but does so within the Slasher genre with a killer swapping bodies with a teenage girl. It's hardly a breakthrough film but it is a novel approach that has a lot of fun blending the conventions that define both of the genres.

Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton) is a high school student living in the small community of Blissfield that is anything but blissful. The town is haunted by the legend of a slasher madman who slays students every year at homecoming. It's believed to be a myth, but when four students are killed, the rumor quickly becomes reality. Millie, who is a target for bullies and who is struggling to overcome her father's death, one night finds herself face-to-face with the killer. He stabs her with a ritualistic dagger he recently stole from a private collection. Millie is wounded but survives the ordeal. When she awakens the next morning, she finds herself in the killer's (Vince Vaughn) body. Meanwhile, the killer awakens in Millie's body, in her bedroom, and in the same house with her mother (Katie Finneran) and older sister (Dana Drori). The killer, as Millie, puts on different clothes and shows up at school ready to take full advantage of his target-rich environment and hidden identity. Meanwhile, Millie, as the killer, convinces her only two friends -- Nyla (Celeste O'Connor) and Josh (Misha Osherovich) -- that she is indeed herself trapped in the wrong body. As the death toll mounts, Millie learns that she only has 24 hours to reverse the curse before the change becomes permanent.

The film thrives on recycling familiar antics and scares and pushing over the top content to humorous effect. There’s plenty of levity mixed with copious amounts of bloodshed, the former of which softens the blow on some of the more brutal kills, which out of the gate are more inventive than most anything in the Friday the 13th films, and the picture even incorporates a few brutal kills that would make the Saw series proud (including one with...a saw). Beyond that, though, there's little of intrinsic value here. The characters are stock with tacked-on emotional content that doesn't really allow the audience to care all that deeply about past paints and present tragedies. It's a simple framework for the concept and the violence, so come to the movie for the laughs and the kills, not the drama or anything else that just fills time around the red meat.

Yet even if the ancillary character drama isn't drawn to much satisfaction, leads Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton headline with superb performances once the bodies are switched. They're both a bit rote beforehand, the former mostly the typically stoic, masked killer and the latter a bit more vulnerable but still not stretching all that far. Once they swap bodies, though, the screen ignites. Newton turns into that hard-faced, cold-blooded killer with unbreakable focus, delighting with a newfound look, confidence, and insatiable bloodlust. One can see Newton scheming and plotting silently inside and the physical work is just as impressive as the inner work. Vaughn is likewise wonderful in the new body, nailing little mannerisms Newton establishes in the first act while also embracing the broader cadence, physical and vocal alike, instantly melting into the mind of a teenage girl, mingling with her friends, and slowly growing into the smaller body as the frantic search for the reversal intensifies with every scene. Vaughn delights in the opportunity and beyond the laughs and gore he and Newton are main reasons to watch.

Freaky Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Freaky's 1080p Blu-ray transfer isn't too scary. Noise is prevalent even in well lit scenes; look at a breakfast scene at the 11-minute mark for an example of the fairly dense noise visible throughout the film. Otherwise, everything is in fairly good working order. Compression issues are few and details are solid enough. Close-ups showcase plenty of applied makeup on female characters while facial scruff and pores are plainly visible on Vince Vaughn's face. School hallways, Millie's bedroom, and other assorted locales deliver sharp, clear object clarity across foregrounds and backgrounds alike. Color output is excellent. Tones are thoroughly saturated with plenty of punch and obvious nuance. The palette is diversely bright and holds true even in dark and/or foggy scenes. Black levels hold satisfyingly deep and skin tones look spot-on accurate. Overall, this is a well-rounded presentation from Universal.

Freaky Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack for Freaky delivers the goods. The track is abundantly spacious and expertly balanced. The track's depth is prominent. Bass is regularly intense, whether in support of score or action, and often a balanced combination of the two. Music plays with seamless stage presence, immersing the listener with super clear notes and well defined stage presence, dominant along the front but not at all timid about back end stretch. Action elements – various thuds, squishy gore, a revving table saw – are all finely detailed and perfectly placed. Ambient sound effects play true throughout, particularly in packed school hallways. Dialogue clarity, positioning, and prioritization are excellent.

Freaky Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Freaky includes deleted scenes, four short featurettes, and an audio commentary track. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 5:27 total runtime): Included are The Butcher Lends a Hand, Charlene Hears a Rumor, and Late for the Party.
• Split Personalities: Millie vs. The Butcher (1080p, 2:24): Quickly exploring the two lead actors and the characters they play with emphasis on nailing mannerisms and personalities.
• Crafting the Kills (1080p, 3:35): Exploring the hardcore, grisly, and practically constructed kills seen throughout the film.
• Christopher Landon's Brand of Horror (1080p, 2:35): In praise of the film's director.
• Final Girl Reframed (1080p, 2:48): A look at how the film turns the "final girl" concept upside down.
• Audio Commentary: Co-Writer/Director Christopher Landon looks at the film from every angle: story, kills, characters, performances, technical tidbits, and more.

Freaky Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Freaky is a fun genre-blending flick that brings the Horror from traditional slashers while finding the humor and levity associated with the body swapping genre. It's an inventive film that plays to its strengths but can't quite build a story with enough worthwhile depth to match the superficial fun. The lead performances are terrific and truly the reason to give this one a watch. Universal's Blu-ray is very good, delivering solid video, excellent audio, and a quality assortment of extra content. Recommended.