If trashy shlock in the vein of Full Moon’s Demonic Toys or Puppet Master isn’t a viewer’s vibe, they won’t get the genius of Frankie Freako. Writer-director Steven Kostanski doesn’t only capture the spirit of late ’80s/early ’90s little monster features; he replicates it in a scaringly accurate format. Seriously, don’t tell anyone which era this film is from and they’ll believe it to be from a bygone era.
Even the premise alone proves to be outrageous and wildly unbelievable. Frankie Freako introduces Conor Sweeney – played by, well, Conor Sweeney – whom many people see as “a square.” Unquestionably, this man’s favourite band is U2 because he lacks any real excitement in his life and needs something to ignite the magic. After Kristina (Kristy Wordsworth) goes away over the weekend and tired of being seen as boring, he dials 1-900-555-FREAKO to liven up his life and three goblin-like creatures – Frankie Freako (Matthew Kennedy), Dottie Dunko (Meredith Sweeney), and Boink Bardo (Adam Brooks) – arrive in his home. If excitement is what Conor sought, it’s more than he bargained for, as Frankie and pals get up to all kinds of mischief and chaos.
Embrace the absurdity of the puppets and plot
Through Action Pants FX’s impressive creature design and puppeteering, Steven Kostanski brings Frankie and friends to life. At every turn, the film values practical effects over CGI, serving as a wonderful throwback to the times in which filmmakers had to get creative in creating their monsters. Even the movements of the character tickle the funny bone and stir up memories, reminding older viewers of films like Critters and Ghoulies. In addition, Kostanski infuses the movie with a cheeky hint of Home Alone humour, too, as Frankie, Dottie, and Boink orchestrate a variety of traps and mishaps around Conor’s home.
Kostanski doesn’t ask the audience to suspend their disbelief here, as every part of Frankie Freako is in on the joke. It’s a ridiculous story filled with ridiculous characters, and the film demands that the viewer embraces the absurdity rather than scrutinize it. Again, this isn’t made for everyone, and the real-life “squares” might deem it too childish for their own tastes and put on another episode of CSI instead.
It’s all fun and games until the third act
The weirdness of Frankie Freako gets too goofy for its own good by the third act, though. It’s fine to be zany and spin off in unexpected directions, but the plot spirals out of control when it pivots the focus of the story to Frankie, Dottie, and Boink rather than Conor. Think of Gremlins in comparison. The audience understands the gremlins’ motivations and where they come from (well, kinda), but the film remains about how Billy and his family deal with them rather than throwing them together to fight a gremlin god. There isn’t a need to find out more about Frankie and his friends in this movie – it’s something that could have been left for a potential sequel.
Similarly, the ending falls flat as Kristina returns from her weekend away. Considering how humorous and satisfying the previous two acts had been, this comes across as rushed and forced in comparison. It isn’t absurd or ridiculous in the slightest; it’s just blah, which is a shame considering the sensational build-up to the final act.
Is Frankie Freako worth watching?
Once again, it needs to be stressed that Frankie Freako isn’t for everyone. The little monster subgenre of horror comedy already appeals to a niche audience, so throw in the fact it was deliberately made to look like it was created in the ’80s and it might put off viewers even more. That said, if preposterous characters and loony storylines are someone’s jam, it’s time to get freaky!
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Frankie Freako |
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Workaholic yuppie Conor is in an existential rut until one night he catches a bizarre ad for a party hotline hosted by a strange dancing goblin: Frankie Freako. Could this be just the recipe to spice up his boring life? |
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| Studio: Hangar 18 Media, SHOUT! STUDIOS |
| Running Time: 1h 22m |
| Release Date: October 4 2024 |
| Cast: Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy, Conor Sweeney, Meredith Sweeney, Kristy Wordsworth |
| Director: Steven Kostanski |
| Writers: Steven Kostanski |
| Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror |
| Box Office: N/A |
The Review
Frankie Freako
Frankie Freako gets its freak on, even with a disappointing third act.
Review Breakdown
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Verdict
