Freaky Tales Review: A Brutal Convergence of '80s Oakland Underdogs that Falls Flat

      Note: This review was originally published as part of our coverage of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Freaky Tales will be released in theaters on April 4 by Lionsgate.

      Prior to the early-morning premiere of Freaky Tales at Sundance, one of the festival programmers described the film as an explosive and chaotic experience that would certainly energize any audience lacking caffeine. This sentiment was echoed in the opening moments of the film, which hinted that Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s 1980s Oakland-set story would indeed be a “hella wild” ride. Opting for a bold approach, akin to the classic technique of freeze-frame narration that starts in media res, the filmmakers chose to tell their audience what to expect rather than show it.

      So, what does Freaky Tales deliver? Regrettably, what unfolds is something clever yet overly self-satisfied and considerably less energetic than its promised thrill. The directors made their first notable impact at Sundance with Half Nelson in 2006, followed by their indie success with thoughtful (It’s Kind of a Funny Story) and clever (Mississippi Grind) films that highlighted their writing and casting abilities. Their mainstream deviation, Captain Marvel, may have influenced their return to more agile storytelling, but Freaky Tales feels like an underdeveloped attempt. In this collection of four interwoven narratives, Boden and Fleck throw numerous ideas against the wall, hoping for coherence. Merging sci-fi elements and animation with a soundtrack influenced by hip-hop, punk, and classic rock, Freaky Tales aspires to the energy of Pulp Fiction but seems constructed in reverse from its structural formula.

      Set in the Bay Area around 1987, the film begins in a movie theater where multiple storylines start to converge. This chaptered mosaic kicks off with a group of friends (notably, Jack Champion and Ji-young Yoo) who are part of a punk collective caught in a conflict with a band of local Nazis. Other storylines include two emerging rap artists (a strong debut from Normani and Dominique Thorne) who take on Too Short, the film's narrator, who provides a brief overview of Oakland and the mysterious green glow affecting the city and its citizens. The final two chapters are more straightforward. One features Pedro Pascal as a hitman with a pregnant wife seeking revenge against his callous boss (an exaggerated Ben Mendelsohn). The other centers on Jay Ellis as Golden State Warrior Sleepy Floyd, who promotes a spiritual school called Psytopics and then seeks revenge against the skinheads who targeted his home during a robbery.

      Most of these individual stories involve various group fights that appear inspired by specific references. During a Nazi mob attack, Boden and Fleck depict the armed punk rockers with slow-motion choreography reminiscent of the street battles in Anchorman, along with Scott Pilgrim-style animated effects. After delivering a standout performance against the Lakers, Sleepy Floyd crashes a Nazi party, turning it into a chaotic scene reminiscent of the House of Blue Leaves (complete with his bright yellow leather vest to emphasize the comparison), where Ellis showcases his swordsmanship while slicing through white supremacists to the beat of EB-40. This is the film's most exciting sequence, possibly reflecting the filmmakers' experience with Marvel stunts.

      This violence is intended to resonate as justified. After all, Freaky Tales is ultimately a collection of underdog stories, a theme reinforced by a video store scene that Boden and Fleck seem reluctant to move beyond since their homage to a Blockbuster in Captain Marvel. However, the characters here are poorly developed archetypes meant to fit within this semi-supernatural narrative without delivering the cathartic satisfaction that defeating hate groups should provide. The film yearns for a "Rocky" moment, a nod that a special cameo acknowledges, but each small, diverse portrayal of the city struggles to rise above the challenges. The “hella wild” ride ultimately feels rather sluggish.

      Freaky Tales premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.