Freaky Tales (2025) unfolds as a four-part anthology set in 1987 Oakland, California, weaving together interconnected stories that highlight the city's vibrant culture, music, and social struggles.

The film opens with "Strength in Numbers: The Gilman Strikes Back." Young punk rock fans Tina and Lucid exit the Grand Lake Theater, where they encounter Nazi punks in a pickup truck hurling slurs at the crowd. The scene shifts to a punk show by Operation Ivy at 924 Gilman Street, which is violently attacked by Nazis who assault the fans and destroy the music equipment, abruptly ending the concert. The punk community rallies the next day, voting to organize a defense against future Nazi attacks. As Tina and Lucid grow closer, Lucid gifts Tina a spiked bracelet meant for stabbing Nazis. When the Nazis return, the punks are prepared and engage in a cartoonishly violent battle, with Tina’s bracelet glowing a magical green as she fights. The punks decisively defeat the Nazis, who retreat in battered trucks, and the night ends with a Black Flag concert.

The second story, "Don't Fight the Feeling," revisits the moment outside the theater from a different perspective. Barbie and Entice, two women and aspiring rappers known as Danger Zone, are verbally assaulted by the Nazis. They are invited to perform with rapper Too Short. While working at an ice cream shop, Barbie and Entice face sexual harassment from a corrupt policeman. On stage, they confront the misogyny in Too Short’s raps, and with a magical green light illuminating the microphone, they respond with skill and confidence, stealing the show.

The third segment centers on Clint, a world-weary debt collector played by Pedro Pascal. Clint is preparing for one last job before the birth of his child. His story involves tense confrontations and personal stakes, culminating in a reunion with his child, symbolizing hope and redemption.

The final story features Sleepy Floyd, a character with supernatural abilities reminiscent of the Force. He attacks a home full of Nazis, killing dozens with swords, knives, and brutal hand-to-hand combat. His violent rampage includes lopping off arms, burying hatchets in skulls, punching holes through stomachs, and decapitating enemies. His powers lead to the demise of the neo-Nazi gang’s leader.

The film culminates in a unifying finale where all protagonists confront the neo-Nazi threat together, emphasizing themes of community and resistance. The characters’ arcs—from punk solidarity and musical empowerment to personal redemption and supernatural vengeance—intertwine to portray a multifaceted struggle against hate and oppression.

The movie ends without a post-credits scene but includes a blooper reel and a vintage breakdancing sequence during the credits, adding a playful touch to the conclusion.

Throughout, the film features a score by Oakland native Raphael Saadiq, blending R&B and soul influences that complement the film’s nostalgic and cultural atmosphere. The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Clint, Ben Mendelsohn as the corrupt cop, Jay Ellis as Sleepy Floyd, Dominique Thorne and Normani as Barbie and Entice, Jack Champion as Lucid, Ji-young Yoo as Tina, and others.

Scenes are vivid and visceral: the Nazi attacks are brutal and bloody, with over-the-top violence including slashed throats and explosive blood effects; the punk fight is stylized and energetic; the rap battle is charged with tension and empowerment; and Sleepy Floyd’s supernatural combat is graphic and intense. The narrative moves through moments of fear, defiance, camaraderie, and catharsis, immersing the viewer in 1987 Oakland’s cultural and social landscape.

Freaky Tales explores themes such as community resistance against hate (neo-Nazi attacks on punk fans), the struggle and empowerment of aspiring female rappers facing misogyny, the emotional stakes of a debt collector trying to settle down, and vengeance against corruption and violence, all set in 1987 Oakland.

The four stories are loosely interconnected by their setting in 1987 Oakland, California, and by overlapping events such as the neo-Nazi harassment at the Grand Lake Theatre and the local music scenes, including punk rock and rap. Characters and locations appear across the segments, creating a mosaic of Oakland's subcultures and social tensions.

Music is central to Freaky Tales, with the punk rock scene depicted in the first story, including a show at 924 Gilman Street, and the rap scene in the second story featuring aspiring rappers Barbie and Entice performing alongside Too $hort. Music scenes serve as both cultural backdrops and battlegrounds for the characters' struggles and expressions of identity.

Violence in Freaky Tales is graphic and stylized, particularly in the confrontations with neo-Nazi skinheads who attack punk fans and music venues. The punk community organizes armed resistance, resulting in over-the-top fight scenes with exaggerated blood and gore. Later, a character named Sleepy Floyd unleashes brutal vengeance with swords and knives, emphasizing a hyper-violent tone.

The magical green light appears as a symbolic or supernatural element during moments of empowerment. For example, Tina's spiked bracelet emits a green light when fighting Nazis, and Barbie and Entice's microphone glows green during their rap performance, highlighting their strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

The movie "Freaky Tales" (2025) is not family friendly and is rated R due to strong bloody violence, frequent strong language including racial and homophobic slurs, sexual content, and drug use. It is best suited for mature teens aged 16 and older and adults who can handle graphic and intense content.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting scenes for children or sensitive viewers include graphic physical violence such as stabbings, gunfights, visible blood and injuries, a man performing oral sex on a woman, sexual situations without explicit nudity, and drug use. The film also contains offensive language and slurs used in a historical context, as well as scenes involving violent confrontations with neo-Nazi groups. Additionally, there are scenes of people being killed with a sword, a man exploding, a head being lopped off, and a hand driven through a victim’s chest.

Given these elements, the film contains mature themes and intense action that are not appropriate for younger viewers or those sensitive to violence, sexual content, or strong language.