This big-hearted, blithely odd adventure pits a troupe of superpowered circus folk against a psychic Nazi pianist.
Gabriele Mainetti’s “Freaks vs. the Reich” is a kind of historical superhero movie, but it has to be the only one with a psychic twelve-fingered Nazi pianist and circus performers with nifty powers. Its splashy, curiously filter-free adventures unfold in Italy and Germany during World War II, to sometimes awkward effect.
In this period fantasy, a Jewish magician named Israel (Giorgio Tirabassi) leads a multitalented troupe: a furry strongman, Fulvio (Claudio Santamaria); a man who commands hordes of bugs, Cencio (Pietro Castellitto); the magnetic Mario (Giancarlo Martini); and the electrically charged Matilde (Aurora Giovinazzo).
When Israel goes missing, Matilde ends up with the Italian resistance, while her friends seek Israel in Berlin. There, they run into the previously mentioned Nazi piano player, Franz (Franz Rogowski), who has visions of Germany’s defeat and beyond. A star attraction at the circus, Franz plays songs from the future (“Sweet Child of Mine,” “Creep”), but he’s most intent on finding a “fantastic four” to save the Nazi regime.
The story’s basic tension becomes apparent from the opening sequence: A sweet performance by Israel’s troupe, which gives the movie a chance to showcase some enchanting special effects, segues into a Nazi bombardment. From there on out, the film’s conventional, Hollywood-friendly quest aims to please with a childlike sense of mission, but it’s jarring as it leans on the grim stakes and sights of World War II. (Case in point: There’s a battle to liberate a train carrying human cargo.)
That leaning may not trouble all viewers. For its part, the movie is definitely not self-conscious about its violent bits, its Nazi regalia or a particularly joyful sex scene. As for Mainetti, the director, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him apply his zeal to another universe at some point.
Freaks vs. the Reich
Not rated. In Italian, with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 21 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on most major platforms.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
