Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck Bounce Back with Grindhouse Chaos in ‘Freaky Tales’ (2025)

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Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the creative team behind ‘Freaky Tales‘, present an eclectic mix of genres, visual flair, and characters that blend together into a densely populated San Francisco-inspired tapestry. Initially struggling to find its balance, the film eventually manages to deliver enough grindhouse appeal to keep viewers engaged…almost.

As a cinephile, I must say that after their 2019 Marvel Cinematic Universe hit, “Captain Marvel,” Boden and Fleck ventured into the realm of television directing, contributing four captivating episodes to FX’s “Mrs. America” and two mesmerizing installments to AppleTV+’s “Masters of the Air.” Now, they’ve returned to their independent filmmaking beginnings with “Freaky Tales,” a narrative that seems heavily influenced by preceding works in the genre.

1987 finds “Freaky Tales,” narrated by local rapper and producer Too $hort, unfolding in Oakland. The narrative weaves together four tales, only slightly connected, primarily through minor details. A common thread that ties these stories is a series of TV ads for meditation seminars and a persistent ‘green glow,’ symbolizing the unique charm of Oakland during that era.

The opening chapter focuses on the East Bay punk culture, where three companions depart from a cinema and make their way to a local punk rock bar for a drink after hours. At this venue, Lucid (Jack Champion) struggles to find the words to confess his feelings towards Tina (Ji-young Yoo). However, their evening is disrupted by a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. In the second chapter, we follow Entice (Normani) and Barbie (Dominique Thorne), an up-and-coming female rap duo, who get an opportunity to prove themselves in a live rap battle against Too $hort (Symba).

Neither of the initial tales make a significant impact apart from the intensified violence in chapter one that’s heightened by digital effects and Normani’s exceptional debut in chapter two. Regrettably, both drag on for an extended period of 45 minutes without much distinction. The most disappointing aspect is that they lack substance when it comes to contributing to the main storyline. Instead, they seem like disjointed glimpses into various subcultures rather than integral pieces of a larger whole.

In chapter three, the story takes a more dynamic turn. Pedro Pascal portrays a tough underworld enforcer and debt collector who dreams of retiring and starting a family with his pregnant wife, Natalia Dominguez. However, these peaceful aspirations are abruptly disrupted by a brutal encounter with someone from his past. The fourth chapter concludes in an exhilarating fashion as the local NBA legend turned kung fu assassin, Eric “Sleepy” Floyd (Jay Ellis), seeks vengeance against a corrupt cop (Ben Mendelsohn) and his associates, in a bloody tribute to the 1970s blaxploitation era.

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2025-04-07 17:56