Katie (Nicole Pastor) is a freelance film editor in Melbourne, Australia. Struggling financially, she finds it hard to afford rent, a meal, or luxuries like a white latte. The main problem is that while Katie works freelance, the work is not always consistent, and the pay often takes a while to come in. Making matters worse, Katie’s latest paycheck is far less than what was agreed upon, and various submissions she has applied to work on have been declined. To keep money coming in, she has edited some porn films in the past, but sadly, this only poisoned her credibility and burned her contacts when word got around that she did work in this kind of genre. But Katie is now at an all-time low and needs work to come her way.
Unexpectedly, Katie receives an e-mail one evening containing a job offer. The client claims they received her name in a referral and would like to hire her to edit a series of videos that are only two minutes long. If Katie accepts and completes the videos by the deadline, she will receive one thousand dollars. Given her current bank account status and lack of cash flow, she agrees. The first video is delivered to her as a mysterious package at her doorstep. As she begins to edit, Katie assumes it is a student film; however, she quickly discovers that the contents of the video are alarming and unsettling. Now, Katie begins a personal investigation to determine if what she is witnessing is real or fake! As Katie digs further, she starts having horrible nightmares and haunting visions, which are also connected to the various films she’s working on for her new client. Can Katie find out the truth about her new client and discover if the videos are, in fact, actual footage?
Despite being a horror film, Freelance also contains a strong thriller aspect, with a few twists, turns, and significant reveals in the finale. The film was directed by John Balazs, whose past work includes RAGE (2021), Night Shift (2018), and Dancer (2016).
I’m once again impressed with the work and efforts of the film’s lead, Nicole Pastor, who plays Katie. Katie as a character is quite different compared to Nicole’s past work in film, and this is easily her most remarkable performance to date. Viewers quickly get a firm sense that Katie is not in a good place mentally but also personally. Her frustration with the lack of money is evident, but her harshness and quick, snappy attitude towards others reveal that Katie is over it. As the film introduces its core mystery, Katie, as a character, goes on a journey that includes significant changes and transformation and again, the actors pull everything off wonderfully.
Visually, I found Freelance to be a great-looking film. Firstly, the location of Melbourne, Australia, is well-utilized, as are various small rooms. Katie’s office is dark and gloomy, with some neon lighting, and is full of minor details that enhance the scene. Details such as seeing Katie’s reflection and reactions from her computer screen or text scrolling on the laptop allow viewers to be well informed. The atmosphere is cleverly created through all the noise and buzz that also comes from her computer. The film’s score by Kai Chen Lim is fitting, with general background tension and a pleasant, creepy atmosphere surrounding Katie’s newfound world.
As for concerns, I found the film far too long. Once the film crosses its fifty to sixty-minute mark, the focus is shifted onto other areas in the plot, such as weighted subplots, and viewers will find themselves removed from the primary storyline, stopping the story from going full speed ahead. Some moments and scenes felt unnecessary or unbelievable, including an interaction between Katie and a police officer at a station. But, I must admit, putting aside any minor concerns, the third act was the best part of the whole film. Despite its minor predictability, the third act was heightened given its revealed violence, and the conclusion feels positive.
Overall, Freelance is a solid Australian horror film with a significant thriller aspect. Actor Nicole Pastor delivers a performance that feels new and different compared to her past work in movies and is easily one of the film’s best aspects. Another strength is the visuals, locations, and sound effects, and the film’s score by Kai Chen Lim is truly a perfect match for the film. The film’s third act and finale are also heightened with its various reveals, twists, gruesome climax and showdown. Even though some scenes may feel unnecessary upon the first watch and specific subplots weigh down the film’s runtime, the results are still positive. This is an outstanding achievement for Australian cinema and lovers of all things horror, mystery and thrills.
Freelance (2024) will be released digitally in Australia on January 28th!
FILM SCORE: 6.8/10
Published: 4th January 2025
Written by: Peter Walkden
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