Rating summary

Movie		1.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 4, 2023

1996’s “Freeway” made a little bit of money, just enough to inspire interest in the creation of a sequel. However, the story of Vanessa and her fight against the big bad wolf was complete, with nowhere left to go. Instead of bending settled characters to fit a continuation, writer/director Matthew Bright resurrects his twisted take on fairy tales for “Freeway II: Confessions of a Trick Baby,” trading “Little Red Riding Hood” for “Hansel and Gretel,” returning to depths of behavioral corruption for another ride of disturbed girls involved in dire situations. Bright has his fixations, and they remain on full display in the follow-up, which offers all sorts of abhorrent situations of protest and survival, only here the budget is smaller, the casting is weaker, and the helmer isn’t as careful when trying to disguise his fetishes, making sure the viewing experience is as interminable as possible.

Crystal (Natasha Lyonne) is a 15-year-old girl in deep trouble with the law, facing a 25-year prison sentence for violent crimes, enjoying the process of beating up johns as a teenage prostitute. Her lawyer, Butz (David Alan Grier), is no help, with Crystal soon off to a juvenile detention center, paired with Cyclona (Maria Celedonio), a profoundly troubled cellmate prone to vicious behavior and sexual cravings. Cyclona shares word of the healing ways of Sister Gomez (Vincent Gallo), a kindly woman who helps needy children in Tijuana, but Crystal has bigger plans in mind, organizing an escape, allowing her and her partner to ditch the horror of incarceration, ready to make the trip south to freedom. Along the way, the girls get to know each other, as Crystal deals with bulimia and Cyclona makes little effort to remain in the realm of reality. Dodging the law, killing men, and getting high, the pair fight their way into Mexico, faced with a whole new reality in the care of Sister Gomez, who encourages Crystal to keep eating as a way to find peace.

Bulimia is a mighty force in “Freeway II,” with Bright repeatedly returning to the ways of binging and purging with Crystal and her buddies, even using the event of vomiting as a backdrop for the main title sequence. It’s wholly unpleasant, but that’s the Bright Way, aiming to unsettle with his depiction of teen ruination, following Crystal into a detention facility, meeting Cyclona, who’s deeply disturbed, losing herself to violent fantasies and pestering her cellmate for sexual experiences, making them something of an odd couple. “Freeway II” doesn’t provide a significant plot, with Bright going the road movie way with Crystal and Cyclona, who escape from prison and steal a car, driving to Mexico for possible salvation via Sister Gomez, making time to huff paint, wet themselves, kill predatory men, trade dismal banter, and provide loose psychological profiles. On their tail are cops and Butz, but suspense isn’t present in the feature, which is much more interested in detailing acts of abuse and mental illness.

Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dark Force Entertainment quietly issued "Freeway II" on Blu-ray in 2018, with Vinegar Syndrome returning to the title in 2023, offering fans a fresh viewing experience with this UHD release, sourced from the 35mm original camera negative. The feature looks as cinematic as possible, with nicely resolved grain throughout. Detail delivers a strong sense of facial particulars, exploring the wear and tear on these distorted characters, and costuming retains texture. Interiors are open for study, capturing decorative additions. Exteriors are dimensional, exploring border crossings and Tijuana street life. Colors are alert, doing well with primaries on fashion choices and urban tours. Streetwalker clothing is also varied. Lighting brings out some brighter, nuanced hues. Greenery is distinct. Highlights are tasteful. Blacks remain deep, doing well with the production's limited sense of frame illumination. Source is in excellent condition.

Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix provides a crisp understanding of dialogue exchanges, doing well with changes in hostility and hushed accent work from Vincent Gallo. Scoring is appreciable but kept low on the track, which favors soundtrack cuts, offering a heavier rock presence. Atmospherics are understood, and sound effects are sharp.

Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Once Upon a White Girl" (98:05, HD) is a lengthy making-of for "Freeway II," featuring interviews with writer/director Matthew Bright, producer Chris Hanley, producer Roberta Hanley, producer Brad Wyman, composer Kennard Ramsey, production designer Brian Davie, film editor Suzanne Hines, and actors Jenn Griffin and April Telek. The development of "Freeway" is examined, with Bright basically stumbling into the director's chair, winning help from executive producer Oliver Stone to get the movie made. "Freeway" made a little profit, inspiring interest in a sequel, and Bright was out of ideas, turning to "Hansel and Gretel" to help provide creative inspiration. "Freeway II" ended up with a lower budget, shorter schedule, and used a student crew, giving Bright a challenge to complete the endeavor, which was shot in Canada. Locations and design choices are highlighted, including time inside an abandoned psychiatric hospital, and adventures in Tijuana are recalled. Casting is celebrated, with Bright apparently obsessed with Natasha Lyonne since she was a little girl, getting his wish to work with her. Kind words are also shared about Vincent Gallo and his professionalism. The supporting cast shares their on-set experiences and hopes for characterization. Bright is praised, handling tremendous production challenges and preserving his general vision for the feature. However, his drug addiction is also exposed, with the crew laboring to keep up with the whims of a man mostly out of his mind. Technical achievements are noted, and reactions are collected, with Bright himself calling "Freeway II" his "least favorite film in the whole world."

• "Bright on Dark" (23:30, SD) is a 2018 interview with writer/director Matthew Bright.

• "Disrupt and Revolt" (28:45, SD) is a 2018 interview with producer Chris Hanley.

• Behind the Scenes (27:44, SD) is a fly-on-the-wall look at the production of "Freeway II," surveying cast and crew camaraderie and production effort.

• Archival Interviews (SD) explore the creative process of "Freeway II" with writer/director Matthew Bright (4:00) and executive producer Samuel Hadida (4:36).

• Image Gallery (6:48) collects BTS snaps.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hansel and Gretel" ideas are present (including Crystal's use of crack rocks to mark their path to Mexico), and the last act of "Freeway II" is devoted to the Sister Gomez experience, who's not exactly the saintly old woman she seems to be. Bright gets dark with the material (which includes violence involving children), and while some could argue the black comedy value of the filmmaker's work, it still doesn't explain his preoccupation with the ways of female suffering (passes at empowerment are absurd) and magically wash away dire technical achievements, including amateurish acting. "Freeway" was no cinematic achievement, but "Freeway II" is a major step down in basic B-movie effort, with Bright trying to coast on his previous success to ensure something of a future career, aiming to resurrect "Freeway" formula with another round of anguished souls stuffed awkwardly into a lame attempt to deliver exploitation cinema.