Freaks vs The Reich Review: X-Men Meets Inglourious Basterds

Step right up, ladies and gents, to the magical and sinister world of “Freaks vs. the Reich.” This wild ride of a film brings all the death-defying thrills and chills of your favorite circus, with a dark twist. Set in Nazi-occupied Italy during World War II, it follows a ragtag group of circus performers who happen to have extraordinary abilities like controlling insects or shooting electricity. After the fascist regime bombs their big top, these self-styled “freaks” go on the run, struggling to evade capture and persecution.

Meanwhile, a fanatical Nazi officer named Franz is desperately trying to track them down. With his own freakish gift of seeing the future through drug-induced visions, Franz aims to exploit the circus troupe to change the course of history and prevent Germany’s defeat. What follows is an action-packed game of cat and mouse full of close calls, sinister schemes, and heroic rescues.

Blending elements of Tod Browning’s classic “Freaks,” Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy spectacles, X-Men’s band of superpowered outcasts, and Indiana Jones-style Nazi pulp, director Gabriele Mainetti has crafted an ambitiously bonkers hybrid. This coming-of-age tale meets Nazisploitation thriller envelops you in its heightened reality where imagination runs wild. So brace yourself for a film that’s both explosively whimsical and shockingly grim. Welcome to the circus, folks, where brutality and wonder tangle under the big top.

Death-Defying Escapes and Daring Exploits

Our story opens under the flaps of a traveling circus tent in 1943 Rome. The Mezza Piotta Circus captivates crowds with a quartet of talented performers billed as “The Freaks” – though these sensitive souls would likely prefer less derogatory terminology. There’s Mario (Giancarlo Martini), the magnetic clown who uses his metal-manipulating skills for amusement. Wolfman Fulvio (Claudio Santamaria) draws gasps flexing his super-strength. Cencio (Pietro Castellitto) directs swarms of insects into dazzling formations. But the real headliner is the sparky siren Matilde (Aurora Giovinazzo), who harnesses lightning in her fingertips.

These special talents aren’t just circus tricks either – the performers were born with extraordinary gifts. Under the guidance of paternal ringmaster Israel (Giorgio Tirabassi), the troupe has found family, purpose, and acceptance. Their haven is shattered, however, when Fascist bombs blast the big top and Nazi troops storm the camp. Facing persecution for their powers, religion, and appearance, the gang decides to flee to America.

But a chance run-in with the Third Reich has other plans. They soon find themselves locked in a freak show run by Franz (Franz Rogowski), an unhinged Nazi officer. Gifted with visions of the future when he huffs ether, Franz foresees Germany’s defeat. Determined to change history and prove his worth, he’s been kidnapping those with special talents to build an unbeatable “Circus Berlin.” And now The Freaks have wandered straight into his lair.

As Matilde spearheads a nerve-shredding escape, the storyline fractures. She braves the countryside’s dangers solo, joining forces with vigilantes and partisans to rescue Israel from a deportation convoy. Meanwhile Fulvio, Cencio and Mario warily ingratiate themselves into Circus Berlin, exploiting its resources while evading its sadistic ringmaster’s schemes.

With jazz and time-travel providing an eccentric soundtrack, the next act unfolds at a relentless pace. Will Matilde master her abilities and liberate her father figure from the Nazi death machine? Can her fellow freaks sabotage Franz’s plans without falling foul of his cruelty? The odds seem impossible, but one thing’s for certain – in this circus, the show must go on.

Meet the Players Behind the Spectacle

Orphaned as a young girl, Matilde (Aurora Giovinazzo) was despondent about her uncontrollable bio-electricity that prevented human touch. Israel welcomed her warmly into his circus, providing affection and purpose. Under the spotlight she harnesses her inner lightning without harm. Still innocent despite her trauma, Matilde channels cherubic heroines like Dorothy Gale. When crisis hits, she tackles adversity with steely courage. Her odyssey of self-discovery follows archetypal coming-of-age beats. Yet we’re deeply invested – she’s the beating heart energizing this madcap adventure.

Life dealt pale outcast Cencio (Pietro Castellitto) a tough hand, but his trauma awakened a rapport with insects. He’s now the introverted circus entomologist, crafting elaborate bug-based spectacle while avoiding the spotlight. Sheltering vulnerabilities behind a impassive veneer, Cencio prizes his found family’s unconditional affection. Bullied for his albinism, he’s wary of mockery and distrustful of newcomers. But when backed into a corner, hidden depths of grit and loyalty emerge.

Exuberant goofball Mario (Giancarlo Martini) plays the circus fool with scene-stealing gusto. His magnetic body attracts anything metal with hilarious consequences…and occasional pain. Gleefully chaotic, he resembles a hybrid of Harpo Marx and Taz the Tazmanian Devil. But while Mario’s rambunctious antics provide comic relief, poignant notes of grief and ostracization lurk behind the scenes. His attention-seeking masks profound isolation. Beneath the greasepaint smiles lies an aching yearning for fraternity.

Blessed with phenomenal strength and a luxuriant pelt, Fulvio’s (Claudio Santamaria) imposing physique disguises gentle giant tropes. Backstory glimpses hint at sorrowful carnival beginnings before Israel’s mentorship helped him embrace his true hairy self. Sensitively portrayed despite his terrifying presence, Fulvio finds meaning through feats of strength, not violence. He’s principled, protective and faithful – the quintessential gentle giant. But corner him and those he loves, and prepare to witness shocking ferocity.

Franz (Franz Rogowski) plays a mean piano – especially when his ether visions reveal Radiohead and Guns N’ Roses. But his extra digits provide an even greater gift: glimpsing the future. Unfortunately the Third Reich’s defeat has left Franz unhinged with a Götterdämmerung complex. He feverishly works to reshape destiny by exploiting those with special powers. Rogowski plays him with demented glee, invoking terrifying villains from Nosferatu to Willy Wonka. Franz may be the big bad, but flashes of sympathetic backstory suggest he’s yet another abused outcast.

As ringmaster Israel, Giorgio Tirabassi exudes paternal wisdom – think Professor X meets Mystero the Magnificent. His circus provides sanctuary for all ostracized by society. But when disaster strikes, he mysteriously disappears after promising safe passage to America. His vanishings reek of deceit. Yet Matilde steadfastly believes in her mentor’s integrity. So was Israel captured, killed or did he abandon his freakish flock? The truth awaits…somewhere beyond the smoke and mirrors.

Meaning Behind the Madness

This circus-set alternate history revels in eye-popping style. Costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini crafts lush period detail and fantastical transformations. Mario’s metallic makeup and Fulvio’s authentic hypertrichosis suit generate visceral responses. Extravagant production design immerses us, from the shabby magic of Mezza Piotta to Circus Berlin’s grand guignol gloom. CGI inserts imaginative interludes, notably Franz’s prophetic visions. And the saturated cinematography by Michele D’Attanasio resembles a graphic novel crossed with a fever dream.

Tonally, Freaks vs The Reich walks a tricky tightrope. The premise pairs breezy adventure tropes with heavy Holocaust invocation. Mainetti counterbalances chilling villainy and poignant trauma with slapstick humor, swashbuckling bravado and a playfully anachronistic soundtrack. This blend of innocence and extremity won’t sit well with some. But it’s clear the deliberate tonal clashes aim to conjure the dizzying emotional volatility of adolescence.

Beyond the spectacle lies a resonant coming-of-age tale. Each “freak” undergoes an archetypal journey to self-acceptance. Scorned as youths for their differences, they find family and purpose through Israel’s nurturing guidance. When war shatters this haven, they’re forced to harness their talents and confront past pain. Matilde’s evolution from naive waif to resolute heroine anchors the narrative, but her comrades also reconcile trauma and transform weaknesses into strengths.

The film consciously invokes superhero mythology, recasting the persecuted protagonists as triumphant underdogs. Costumes quote circus strongmen, but abilities parallel the X-Men. By championing empathy over prejudice, Mainetti substitutes wonder for fear regarding physical and neurological differences. And spectacular rescues of concentration camp captives evoke Nazi Hunter escapades. It reframes historically maligned groups – Jews, Romani, disabled and neurodivergent people, LGBTQ+ – as awe-inspiring heroes.

For all its playfulness, Freaks vs The Reich never trivializes fascist cruelty, racial hatred or the Holocaust’s horror. Mainetti says it responds to disturbing political movements by promoting outcasts and minority perspectives over authoritarian demagoguery. The film has proved divisive – some criticize perceived exploitation, others find exhilarating liberation in its gonzo reworking of painful history into fable. But few could argue it ignores unsettling realities; this circus spotlights society’s margins.

Step Right Up for this Thrilling Oddity

Gabriele Mainetti’s directorial vision displays ambition and panache. His world-building feels impeccably realized, from the shabby whimsy of Mezza Piotta to Circus Berlin’s imposing authoritarian grandeur. Sweeping camera moves convey scope while detail-rich frames reveal subtleties. Action set pieces demonstrate dexterity, choreographing chaotic events into legible sequences. And D’Attanasio’s rich cinematography proves a superb canvas for Parrini’s flamboyant costuming.

The ensemble cast also shine, accentuating each character’s unique charms. Relative newcomer Giovinazzo carries the film with maturity as Matilde. Meanwhile, Rogowski pirrouettes through unhinged histrionics with aplomb. His gleeful malevolence recalls Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. But the story’s heart comes from the paternal wisdom Tirabassi projects as Israel.

What it seeks to achieve is ambitious – excavating marginalized histories, promoting empathy over fear regarding diversity, and transforming trauma into triumph by way of dazzling spectacle. Mainetti noted his intent “was to create a fairy tale, not make a documentary.” Opinions vary on whether it succeeds or overreaches. But all agree this carnivalesque chimera stands apart.

It shares DNA with stylistic predecessors like Del Toro, Browning’s Freaks and superhero franchises. But its eccentric alchemy brews strange magic all its own. Those seeking straightforward stories or somber reflection should look elsewhere. Yet thrill-seekers yearning for fantastical worlds beyond our own will discover a feast of sights and sounds to savor.

So approach without preconceptions and you’ll be rewarded with a radically singular vision. Echoing Israel’s opening invitation to moviegoers and circus-goers alike, “Behold amazing beings who will take you on extraordinary adventures!” Freaks vs The Reich offers uneven yet utterly distinctive escapism for those who dare embrace life’s colorful fringes.

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