The best part of the movie is its title.
It’s a pretty wild title that will either grab you or make you realize, “Hey, this movie may not be for me.” I was interested to see what was filmed so I gave this one a whirl. How bad could it be, right?
I wish it was a lot more fun. I think that’s the biggest criticism I could give it.
Instead of just going for it, the filmmakers just fell short. The film takes place in Rome in 1943. It focuses on a family and their experiences in World War II. They are part of a circus. Their lives aren’t very good.
Yet, they suddenly experience something that changes everything.
Their father of the family goes overseas to find them all a better place. But he disappears, leaving the kids of the family all in a confusing spot. This puts these kids out of the circus and into a city at war.
In the middle of it all, these kids get powers and have to become a team of superheroes.
It is a pretty outrageous concept to say the least. The director, Gabriele Mainetti, gives us a mash up of Fellini, Tarantino, and a bunch of other directors that they seem to be obsessed with.
The issue is, they never find their own style as a director. And that’s the biggest shame of it all.
The actors all try their best, but there isn’t a lot for them to hold onto emotionally. There are some neat special effects but the whole thing just feels hollow.
It didn’t work for me especially as it was trying to be crowd pleasing. It may work for other people as a film, depending on your mileage.
RATING: C
* * * * *
Produced by Gabriele Mainetti, Andrea Occhipinti
Written by Gabriele Mainetti, Nicola Guaglianone
Directed by Gabriele Mainetti
Starring Claudio Santamaria, Aurora Giovinazzo, Pietro Castellitto, Giancarlo Martini,
Giorgio Tirabassi, Max Mazzotta, Franz Rogowski, Sebastian Hülk, Anna Tenta
Freaks Vs. The Reich is now available on Digital HD,
On Demand, and in select theaters.
