Becky’s Wrath2023.
Directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote.
Starring Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, and Kate Siegel.
SYNOPSIS:
Two years after escaping a violent attack on her family, Becky tries to rebuild her life in the care of an older woman. But when a group known as The Noble Men break into her home, she attacks them and takes her beloved dog, Becky must go back to her old ways to protect herself and those she loves.
2020 Indie Action Thriller becky it was a pleasant surprise when it came out of nowhere a few months into the global pandemic; a modest revenge romp in which Lulu Wilson’s eponymous 13-year-old protagonist dismantled a cult of neo-Nazis led by a cunning Kevin James.
Three years later, the hilarious and portentously nicknamed sequel Becky’s Wrath is here, which while offering few surprises, nonetheless satisfies as a scrappy, elegant genre offering that slips in and out in a tight 84 minutes.
Since Becky (Wilson) avenged her fallen father at the end of the first film, she has spent the last three years running away from foster homes and trying to live off the grid. He eventually settles down with a kind old lady, Elena (Denise Burse), while she works as a waitress, that is, until she crosses paths with a trio of far-right chuds who are members of a fascist group known as The Noble Men.
After an altercation at the restaurant, the three men invade Elena’s farm, the traumatic outcome of which forces Becky to act, following the group to the remote rural compound of their leader, Daryl (Seann William Scott).
Becky’s Wrath it’s absolutely a movie where you’ll know precisely where you’re going from start to finish, but as predictable as it is, it’s also well acted and convincing enough to mostly make up for it.
Tonally, things are a bit different this time around; there’s a more irreverent and silly vibe than the first one becky, possibly because the behind-the-scenes staff is almost entirely new. Instead, writing and directing are being handled by filmmaking duo Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote, in a major improvement on their previous work. the open house and Hypnotic – along with the only returning creative from the original film, co-writer Nick Morris.
The trio put a funnier twist on violent revenge this time around, characterized by occasional comedic breaks and Wilson’s entertainingly biting narration. There’s also a more clearly satirical line through to the goofy villains of the far-right, who aren’t just content to treat women horribly and call them “femoids” (female + android, get it?), they’re also caught up in a scheme to assassinate a Latina senator whom the public will naturally compare to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
While the script ultimately only addresses the power of online radicalization and the January 6 insurrection in broad strokes, that’s appropriate enough given the film’s light-hearted pacing and overall refusal to get too bogged down for too long. However, he notably calls out Noblemen for precisely what they are: terrorists.
The cinema on display is generally classy but never indulgent enough to upset the rat-a-tat clip. There’s clear technical attention to detail in both the sharp, considered framing and the ultraviolent gore, which achieves an impressive fusion of digital and practical gore. Rounding out the craft package is another searing electronic score from composer Nima Fakhrara, whose well-placed jarring shrieks mark pivotal moments nicely.
Beyond all this, however, the highlight is undoubtedly Lulu Wilson’s performance, who once again finds a charming synthesis of hilarious and rude, with just enough vulnerability to remind us that, yes, she is a 16-year-old girl with a slim build. Wilson is clearly having a lot of fun here and he just happens to be looking damn good covered in blood; a killer combo if ever there was one.
The other noteworthy performance comes courtesy of Sean William Scott, who this time takes on the role of Kevin James as a popular comedy actor playing irredeemable human trash. Scott, who in movies like lineage Showing off smears of more nuance than his conventional filmography might suggest, he brings a subdued menace to the fore that allows him to easily spew out even the slightest breath of american foot’s Steve Stifler. A scene midway through the film in which he recalls a harrowing time story of him in the war might catch him off guard, if only because of Scott’s impressive dramatic restraint.
For most of his screen time, Scott’s Daryl is eternally exasperated with his reckless and incompetent minions for kicking the bear out of Becky, in a way that is unexpectedly reminiscent of Michael Nyqvist’s mob boss right from the start. john wick. And when Scott finally needs to break out in a more brutal and vicious mode, he succeeds too.
It all concludes with a fun setup for a possible third party, and if the filmmakers can hire another comedian to play the guy as a hideous piece of shit, why the hell not? The world needs smaller movie franchises, and Becky’s Wrath is a pleasantly light-hearted, small-scope sequel that largely delivers more of the same broadly entertaining, best of all another sharp performance from Lulu Wilson.
Blinking Myth Rating – Movie: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Shaun Munro – Follow Me On Twitter for more cinematic ramblings.
