Freaks

Die originellste Verarbeitung von Hollywood-Blockbuster-Motiven in einem kleinen Indie-Film, der zu ihnen gleichzeitig eine distanzierte Stellung einnimmt und mit seinem Scharfsinn auf sie herabsieht. Die Überraschung des Jahres. Der Film ist so gestaltet, dass zuerst Fragen entstehen und die Zuschauer*innen in die Irre geführt werden. Dann kommt eine überraschende Enthüllung der originellen Filmwelt und zum Schluss das fairste Spiel – keine Szene ist nur wegen dem Effekt da. Man bekommt ein bombastisches Erlebnis mit einem Wasserfall von originellen Ideen. Eine ausgezeichnete Schauspielleistung der kleinen Lexa Kolker. Sehen Sie sich nicht die Trailer an, lesen Sie keine Synopsen! [Sitges FF] (09.10.2018)

Ich empfehle im Voraus nicht allzu viel über die Handlung des Films herauszufinden und sich keine Ausschnitte anzuschauen. Freaks täuscht ein bisschen  - man könnte sagen, dass die erste Hälfte den Zuschauer im Dunkeln lässt, was im Film eigentlich passiert und eine Vielzahl verwirrender Motive und seltsamer Charaktere präsentiert (praktisch jeder Charakter wirkt beunruhigend und unleserlich), um dann in der zweiten Hälfte mit einem überraschenden Höhepunkt aufzuwarten, dem vorherigen Geschehen Sinn zu verleihen und mit den Emotionen des Zuschauers zu spielen. Bruce Dern als zynischer, derber "Eisverkäufer" ist unglaublich cool und seine Interaktion mit Emil Hirsch bietet besonders gegen Ende des Films lustige Sprüche und Übertreibungen. Und ich denke, dass wir noch viel von der jungen Lexy Kolker hören werden. (09.10.2018)

In der ersten Hälfte des Films, der in einer Welt spielt, deren Gesetze dem Publikum bis zur Hälfte der Laufzeit überraschend hartnäckig unter Verschluss gehalten werden, kommen die minimalistischen Charaktere des Vaters und der Tochter aus, die sich in einem verriegelten Haus vor ihrer Umgebung verstecken. Um sie herum entsteht eine Atmosphäre der Unsicherheit und möglicherweise berechtigter, aber auch möglicherweise nur paranoider Angst vor einem unbekannten Feind. In der zweiten Hälfte kommt die Wahrheit vollständig ans Licht, wobei eine Reihe bisher vager, unklarer und illusorischer Motive endlich Sinn und Kontext bekommen. Den Charakteren werden konkret festgelegte Ziele zugewiesen und schließlich gibt es auch actionreichere Trick-Szenen, die jedoch der Geschichte dienen und niemals nur für den Effekt verwendet werden. Die Elemente, die wir aus amerikanischen Blockbustern mit hundertmillionenschweren Budgets kennen, werden hier einfallsreich und originell zugunsten einer bemerkenswert erzählten und intelligent aufgebauten Geschichte genutzt, die auch für mehrere Fortsetzungen oder eine Fernsehserie geeignet wäre und in der der großartige schauspielerische Auftritt des talentierten neunjährigen Lexy Kolker im Mittelpunkt steht. (15.10.2018)

Just in case anyone is reading this comment as the first, I’d like to repeat the advice of previous commenters: if you don’t know anything about this film, avoid finding anything about it and, for God’s sake, do not watch the trailer. At least the entire first half greatly capitalises from throwing the viewer into the whirlpool of a weird story where they can’t figure anything out – who, what, why, how? At the beginning, the only thing we know is that a little girl called Chloe lives together with her strangely behaving father (?) in a kind of dilapidated building, and that she’s forbidden to go outside. And this dark paranoia, which is soon complicated by a series of other mysterious motifs, is only very slowly given some order. What is not slow at all, though, is the pace at which the plot moves forward. There’s always something happening; twists alternate twists, ideas alternate ideas. Although in the end the main motif turns out to be ordinary and trite, the way it’s presented, from its point of view and with such balls, is something that we’ve probably never seen before. There are times when you can see that a million or two more in the budget wouldn’t have hurt, but overall it’s a lot of fun. (29.11.2019)

At least once a year, there is a film that no one expects much from, but in the end it is a pleasant surprise and Freaks delivers a lot of value for money. A beautifully crafted mystery film that is strange, unsettling, and secretive from the start, but also suspenseful and entertaining. The film raises some interesting questions and gradually answers them with unexpected and imaginative twists as it progresses. The performance by the young Lexy Kolker is perhaps the best by a child actor since Jacob Tremblay in Room, and the finale is unexpectedly quite action-packed and bloody. If the film had, say, a $20 million higher bigger budget, we'd all be sitting in the cinema right now applauding, but maybe we'll see that in a possible sequel! The less you know, the better for you. Best mystery flick of the year. 8.5/10. (02.12.2019)

I went into this film blindly, without watching the trailers, with a nondescript synopsis and purely on the basis of positive reviews. Initially a psychological drama that doesn't make sense in places, but if you can endure 30 minutes of not understanding, the rest of the film clicks into place and turns from a psychological "One House" movie into a gorgeous sci-fi carnage that from the middle to the finale escalates and bombards everything it has created so far. Visually perfect, the abilities of the freaks are well thought out and imaginative, and the very concept of the film, with the freaks living secretly among normal people, intrigued me too. The running time is just right, the craftsmanship and acting are good and although the ending is rather average, Freaks is an enjoyable, innovative and original sci-fi surprise. (12.12.2019)

I’ve often mentioned in my reviews that I’m not particularly fond of children in film, but I was simply floored by the performance of the nine-year-old Lexa Kolker. Many a seasoned actor could learn a few things from her (though I’m not sure if it would be of any help to Ben Affleck or Jennifer Lawrence). I found the film entertaining from start to finish. While X-Men seem to be getting old, the sight of mutants here was captivating. (11.01.2020)

A film whose main strength is undoubtedly its script. Understand this as follows: you won't fully grasp the first half as a viewer; nothing makes sense, and you just stare in confusion. But trust that by the end, everything will be explained, creating a flawless puzzle. The film also benefits from solid performances; the little girl in a small role was outstanding, and even Bruce Dern, in a supporting role, didn't play second fiddle. It’s a shame the film isn’t more widely known because its unconventional idea truly deserves more recognition. The Canadians pleasantly surprised me, and I always welcome such indie films with open arms. It doesn’t try to be a Hollywood blockbuster but focuses on successful storytelling... and they nailed it. The lower budget is a drawback, as there are a few special effects scenes where the lack of funds is evident. But I can overlook this flaw in Freaks. I give it 76%. (06.01.2020)

In the past, an absolute must-see event, just because the wait for it was so long and the reviews were so great. However, my excitement cooled off because this topic in this low-budget, yet very diligent form didn't sit well with me at all. I deliberately knew absolutely nothing about the movie in advance, so it was very difficult for me to uncover the point, which was successfully delayed as close to the end as possible. The actors were mostly unsympathetic, I couldn't root for them, and sometimes I caught myself slowly losing interest in the movie. Overall, the general feel around it seemed weird and terribly unremarkable to me; maybe it's just me, that this subgenre of low-budget films doesn't appeal to me, and call me a hypocrite, but I simply didn't enjoy it. (21.02.2020)

At the beginning it looked very promising, but I got pretty bored about halfway through. However, if there weren't so many unnecessary action scenes and cheap tricks in the last half hour, I would give one more star, because the movie has quite a suspenseful atmosphere. (45%) (30.12.2022)