Freaky is too freaky for its own good. I never paid close attention to Blumhouse Productions before I saw Happy Death Day in theaters. I was so obsessed with Happy Death Day and its equally entertaining sequel Happy Death Day 2U that I would see anything from director Christopher Landon. The then titled Freaky Friday the 13th sounded promising with another high concept horror comedy spin on a popular movie gimmick. Much like time loops, I think it’s hard to go wrong with a good old fashioned body swap. The title was appropriately shortened to Freaky, but I started to have doubts after seeing the first trailer.
Critics and audiences seemed to enjoy it, so Freaky became the second movie I saw in theaters post-shutdown. A decision I regret, because I kind of hated the movie. Kathryn Newton as meek teenager Millie and Vince Vaughn as masked serial killer the Blissfield Butcher are the only saving grace. They swap bodies through a mystical dagger, but I feel like Vaughn is trying a lot harder as an awkward teenage girl. Newton’s performance is a little too subtle as the dead-eyed serial killer.
Unlike Happy Death Day, Freaky is R rated, reliant on meta humor, and PC to the point of feeling artificial. Millie’s friends call attention to the fact that they’re black and gay in a horror movie. Since her dad died, she lives with her alcoholic mother and police officer sister. Millie’s crush has no problem kissing her in a serial killer’s body and every other male character is either over-the-top evil or an idiot. Due to the R rating, kills are excessively gory and not in an entertaining way. Freaky squanders a fun concept and forced me to wait on a third Happy Death Day at the same time.

The Blissfield Butcher in Millie’s body