Freaks Part II (Fantasia) Review: A tense, gory follow-up to the cult classic

PLOT: In a world where some humans have developed paranormal powers and have been wiped out by a fearful public, a mother (Amanda Crew) and daughter (Lorelei Olivia Mote) try to survive while also seeking vengeance for their family.

REVIEW: Freaks is one of the more unique success stories of the past decade or so. Initially an under-the-radar, Canadian-made sci-fi flick that was released without much fanfare, Freaks became an unlikely smash hit during the pandemic when it started streaming on Netflix. Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein suddenly became in high demand, being hired to make Final Destination: Bloodlines for WB/New Line. It became the highest-grossing film in the series, making over $300 million worldwide. Lipovsky and Stein are now two of the hottest directors in town, with an animated Venom film and a recently announced adaptation of Stephen King’s Desperation on their slate.

But before going all Hollywood, the two took their newfound clout to go indie once again for a follow-up to Freaks, which has already been acquired by Paramount. While a sequel, the film isn’t overly reliant on the plot beats of the first movie, making it easy to understand even if you’ve never seen the original. Basically, Freaks Part II is like a more grounded, horror-tinged take on X-Men, albeit one where being a mutant (or, as they are called here, “Freaks”) is illegal, with them executed on sight.

The movie begins in a harrowing way, with Amanda Crew’s Mary giving birth to a baby that’s immediately detected as a Freak. Lili Taylor’s evil ADF (Abnormal Defence Force) agent throws the baby on the ground and shoots it in the head right in front of its mother, leading Mary to demonstrate her superpower. She can fly, but whenever she takes off, the fallout kills anyone unlucky enough to be close by.

Years later, she’s on the run with her remaining daughter, Chloe, with the story of how she survived with her now-dead father being what the first Freaks was about. Chloe can manipulate minds and project herself anywhere she wants. The two are hunting for Taylor’s Erica Lang, who has become a star in the ADF movement, while never being able to settle down anywhere lest their abilities be detected. This is becoming more of a problem for the growing Chloe, who wants to make friends her own age.

Freaks Part II may have a lower budget than Lipovsky and Stein worked with on Bloodlines, but it’s surprisingly epic, with a lot of world-building. This is clearly a sandbox the two enjoy playing in, with them expanding on the intolerant world the Freaks inhabit. A particularly chilling section is set at a youth camp teaching children to shoot Freaks on sight, with them easy to identify because they weep tears of blood whenever they’re under stress.

The cast is solid, with Crew excellent as Mary, the devoted mother who’s also blinded to her daughter’s well-being by her uncontrollable need for revenge. Lorelei Olivia Mote is also terrific as the now-teenaged Chloe, who is rebelling against her mother’s rules but is also naïve about the world around her. More than anything, she just wants a friend, which she unexpectedly finds in a child recruit in the ADF, played by Reznor Allen.

However, the film is stolen by Lili Taylor, who seems to relish playing a villain, with her sadistic Erica Lang becoming one of the more memorable screen baddies in recent years. Plus, Stephen Tobolowsky has a neat role as another one of the Freaks, with a unique—but kinda gross—power of his own.

What will make Freaks Part II a must-see, though, is certainly the gore effects. One of the reasons Bloodlines did so well was because of how extreme the kills were. There are some really nifty ones here, especially when another Freak, played by Audrianna Lico, enters the fray in the second half. She has the often-gross power of being able to turn people’s bodies inside out, and this is used to excellent effect in the climax. Sequences like these make some of the storytelling flaws easier to ignore, with a few too many convenient twists marring the film’s second half.

It’ll be interesting to see how Freaks Part II performs once it comes out, as the first film, despite its Netflix success, remains pretty under the radar. Still, the barrier to entry is low, and horror fans will enjoy the world-building, gore, and performances even if they haven’t seen the original. It’s a lot of fun.