Joey Magidson
At the start of their careers, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were known for emotionally complex and introspective independent dramas. Half Nelson and Sugar were spectacular and established them as storytellers who could try just about anything. A move towards the mainstream since then culminated in Captain Marvel, but Boden and Fleck have found their indie roots again. Steeped in affection for Oakland in 1987, as well as the work of John Carpenter and especially Quentin Tarantino, Freaky Tales is a tremendously entertaining ride. Does it amount to anything as substantial as their early work? No. Is it still wildly fun and one of the most purely enjoyable flicks of 2025 so far? You’re damn right it is. Plus, as an added bonus, despite having been made back in 2023, debuting at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, its desire to kick Nazi ass has only become more resonant.
Freaky Tales could easily have been made right after Pulp Fiction, the Tarantino vibe is so clearly there (Kill Bill also is very much in this film’s DNA). The difference between this flick and the countless ripoffs in the 1990s? There’s a balls to the wall, free-wheeling aspect to it that makes far more appreciation and homage than anything lazy. It’s a love letter, at it’s core, albeit an incredibly violent and often wild one.
An anthology film, there’s four chapters that intersect at various points, all set in the East Bay in 1987. The first chapter showcases the Oakland punk scene, where teens (including Tina, played by Ji-young Yoo, and Josh, played by Keir Gilchrist) just want to rock out at a local club, one where they abhor homophobia, racism, sexism, and violence. The latter proves hard to stand by when Neo-Nazis keep rolling in to wreck their good time. Eventually, a street fight commences. In the second chapter, words become weapons, when aspiring female rap duo Danger Zone, consisting of Barbie (Dominique Thorne) and Entice (Normani), are plucked out of obscurity to participate in a rap battle with Too $hort (Symba). The girls also run into a very creepy cop (Ben Mendelsohn) who figures into the next two chapters.
In chapter three, we focus on Clint (Pedro Pascal), met briefly in chapter one. Clint is a debt collector about to retire in order to spend all of his time with his pregnant wife Grace (Natalia Dominguez). They’ve gone to the video store for a tape to watch, as well as for Clint to finish his final job. At the most inopportune time, his violent past catches up to him, robbing him of all he cares about. The final chapter reimagines a burglary of the home of Warriors basketball player Sleepy Floyd (Jay Ellis), who we see in commercials throughout the segments, alongside its aftermath. Here, the crime gone wrong is masterminded by our prior crooked cop, with Sleepy taking some very gory means to extract his vengeance. This fourth chapter also showcases how everyone is connected, as a bit of a bonus. The back half is the strongest here, too, including an epic cameo at the video store.
The ensemble cast is definitely having fun with the gonzo aspect of the flick. Pedro Pascal has the most substantial role, while Ben Mendelsohn just dives into the madness. Mendelsohn and Pascal, alongside Jay Ellis, do the best work, but that’s just because their segments/scenes are the most enjoyable. Dominique Thorne and Normani (making her acting debut) are solid, though their chapter is the weakest, while Ji-young Yoo stands out the most in the uneven first chapter. Supporting players, besides the aforementioned Symba, Natalia Dominguez, and Keir Gilchrist, include Jack Champion, Angus Cloud, and many more, which doesn’t even include that shocking cameo, as that person is arguably best in show, too.
Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are having an absolute blast throwing just about everything at the wall here. Freaky Tales takes two chapters to fully find its footing, but the joy of watching punks take the fight to nazis, as well as the talent in the rap battle, keep you going. Then, the Tarantino style Pedro Pascal chapter, as well as the uber violent Jay Ellis one, bring it all home in glorious fashion. The first half could be a little tighter, while the science fiction style green glowing bits never really amount to much, but these are small quibbles. As a bit of action madness with a real sense humor, as well as time and place, it becomes an insane amount of fun.
Freaky Tales grew on me the longer it went on. By the end, I was all in and outright cheering the chaotic violence and surprises. Wrecking house on Nazis is always a surefire way to entertainment, Neo-Nazi or otherwise, and this is no exception. Boden and Fleck are going back to their indie roots, with splendid results. There’s messy elements here, but what works is still more than effective enough to put this film in the upper echelon of 2025 releases so far.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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