FREAKY TALES (2024)

3 stars

Lionsgate. Select cinemas from 18 April and on digital platforms from 28 April

The anthology film FREAKY TALES is one of those movies you watch and are left wondering who the intended audience is – set in Oakland, a city in the Bay Area of San Francisco, in 1987, it may well resonate if you know that area and period well… otherwise it feels very niche. Several write-ups I have read compare it to PULP FICTION, but unfortunately it is not anywhere near as good as that.

The opening titles are suitably 80s in style. Each tale seems to be built around the theme of being the underdog and they are all loosely connected with characters popping up in other situations, as they are in the same timeline. There is also a thread about Psytopics, a sort of self help therapy, which doesn’t really go anywhere.

The first story is ‘Strength in Numbers’ (Or ‘The Gilman Strikes Back’) and has Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and her friend Lucid (Jack Champion), who clearly has romantic feelings for her, going to a punk club, where a band are playing. The venue is attacked by a bunch of skinheads. At a meeting later, they all decide that next time the mob returns they will fight back. The punks arm themselves with spiked baseball bats , chains et al, resulting in plentiful OTT bloodshed (CGI splatter), slow mo action and graphic overlays when next attack happens. This section is shot in a square ratio – each story has a differing screen shape.

Next up is ‘Don’t Fight the Feeling’ which has Barbie (Dominique Thorne) and Entice (Normani) who, as well as working at an ice cream parlour, and putting up with harassment there, are also a rap duo called Danger Zone. They are invited to Sweet Jimmies to have a “battle” with Too Short – his lyrics are full of sexual provocation – they give as good as they get in response. As they are travelling back on the bus, after the show, it is hit by lightning, glows green and flies off into the sky. Because… who knows!

In ‘Born to Mack’, Clint (a very good Pedro Pascal) is some kind of debt collector/hitman who is looking to go straight. One last job – in a video store, in a secret room behind the XXX section. In one of the best bits in this odd film, Tom Hanks pops up as the shop owner and they talk about underdog movies. Tragedy is about to hit Clint…

The final tale is ‘The Legend of Sleepy Floyd’ and stars Jay Ellis as the basketball player Floyd. Ben Mendelhson (his character is just credited as The Guy) is sending out crews to break into the homes of star players whilst they are busy on the court. When Floyd’s mother, brother and girlfriend unexpectedly return home gunshots ring out and his girlfriend ends up dead. He decides to take revenge, and kits up with various weapons and heads out in his black leather coat, looking like Blade, to slice and dice those responsible. Much bloodshed follows in what is the best of these vignettes.

Written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who helmed the big budget CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019) – appear to be more at home with indie productions. This film is both a homage to 80s cinema and some kind of love letter to the area where it is set. I have to say I struggled to see the point of it all – I can imagine some people loving it (and there are plenty of rapturous reviews available) – though it has its moments, it left me indifferent. There are shades of Tarantino here, especially in the violent closer and that final story was the only one that is truly freaky. It felt like the sort of film crying out for a cult following.

Danger Zone get a music video in the credits.

Steve Kirkham