Being drenched constantly in the superhero genre gets old sometimes. This is especially true when one variety of superhero film in the MCU manages to strangle the market. We’ve seen the genre branch out and spawn films and shows that break the mold, however, especially recently with the likes of The Boys and Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which stand opposed to the status quo. I’m a huge fan of alternate approaches, as breaking the formula keeps the genre feeling interesting and new.

In comes Freaks: You’re One of Us. This German film has more in common with the likes of Super or Glass than with Iron Man or The Avengers. Not to say it isn’t wholly original, but it is similarly grounded and dark in contrast to being light and comedic. There are some jokes here and there, especially at the expense of the main villain of the film, but overall the movie plays itself straight.

Freaks‘s more realistic nature is its biggest strength. Rather than being a larger-than-life, world-ending story, it follows a narrow, intimate story. Focusing on the evolution of Wendy’s powers and how that affects her and her family is at the core of the film and these moments are where the movie feels the most interesting.

Where I find Freaks fell short was with its villain. Not that he wasn’t fun, I actually liked him a lot. He, however, felt like a strong contender for being a primary source of conflict, and our attention on him was divided due to the conspiracy plot of the movie. We lost our villain very quickly, and in a 90-minute film, I felt cheated out of what could have been with him.

That being said, the runtime makes Freaks an easy watch. There’s always something happening and the hour and a half fly by easily. I did have to rewind a few times due to missing a subtitle or two, but most of the time they’re easy to follow.

If you’re looking for something superhero related, that feels different than the current trend of comic films, I would absolutely recommend Freaks. It requires very little buy in to sit through due to its short runtime, and it tells a ground-level story that feels real and refreshing.

Thank you for tuning in, this was a shorter one as I’m getting back into the swing of things. In other good news, my fourth book and the final installment of Reyairan Spirits, The Blood of Greenwood, is now available on Kindle. You can find links to the series over in the Books page on this site. More Netflix Dumpster Dive and other content coming very soon.

© 2021 Vincent C. Russo. All Rights Reserved.