I'm not sure why folks are reviewing this as a far inferior sequel to the original "Becky." It isn't without its flaws, but no movie (or sequel) ever is. I REALLY enjoyed it, as it's a fast paced, quick watch, topping out at barely 80 minutes.
For the record, I also really dig the original, but what made the first one so enjoyable was the last third of the movie - the revenge (ie THE KILLS). They were inventive and gory. As a gorehound, when those two facets are in lock-step, the movie is well on its way to being enjoyable.
"The Wrath of Becky," while not quite as inventive, stuck to the formula that worked so well in the first film. The first act opens with the storyline & roadmap, moves to the development & exposition in the second act, then WHAM...hits you with the final act, which is mostly just kills & blood. Personally, I like that the movie never wastes a lot of time trying to build & prolong tension by putting Becky in extended scenes of peril. While those scenes do exist- which is always necessary in this style of genre film- they happen quickly and the movie gets right back to its road map. I mean, come on...we all know Becky isn't gonna die, so why waste time prolonging anxiety when we all known how it will end?
THINGS I THINK COULD HAVE MADE IT BETTER:
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the flick. YES...much of the acting is exceedingly over-the-top and cringy. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE! YES...the entire flick is riddled with fallacies and stuff that would never really work in "reality," but IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT! So don't go in to this expecting Oscar caliber performances or true-to-life events, 'cause you won't get that. What you WILL get is loads of dark & dry humor accompanied by equal parts blood. Sit back, pop some popcorn, and enjoy.
CONTENT:
*** Lastly, for those who trash this because of its "political overtones," or "wokeness," GET A LIFE! It's just a freakin movie that is making fun of something BECAUSE IT CAN!
For the record, I also really dig the original, but what made the first one so enjoyable was the last third of the movie - the revenge (ie THE KILLS). They were inventive and gory. As a gorehound, when those two facets are in lock-step, the movie is well on its way to being enjoyable.
"The Wrath of Becky," while not quite as inventive, stuck to the formula that worked so well in the first film. The first act opens with the storyline & roadmap, moves to the development & exposition in the second act, then WHAM...hits you with the final act, which is mostly just kills & blood. Personally, I like that the movie never wastes a lot of time trying to build & prolong tension by putting Becky in extended scenes of peril. While those scenes do exist- which is always necessary in this style of genre film- they happen quickly and the movie gets right back to its road map. I mean, come on...we all know Becky isn't gonna die, so why waste time prolonging anxiety when we all known how it will end?
THINGS I THINK COULD HAVE MADE IT BETTER:
- Honestly, while the pace & film time were both quick, I think it could have been longer. I'm not talking like 2-hour length, but a solid 90-95 minute run time could have extended some of the cat & mouse play that makes movies like this fun.
- I would have liked more gore. The writers OBVIOUSLY know who their target audience is with both this film and the original, and gorrorbuffs are that target. Not to say that it needed to be another "They Live," but there were ample opportunities beyond the ones they included, and it felt a bit like the director may have cheaped out. Budget was likely an issue, but the setup was PERFECT for some truly gnarly results. We just didn't quite make it.
- Similary, I think one more character could have been added to the antagonist team. Having "Darryl" return at the end was smart, but I would have liked to see that character receive a really god-awful death, especially since she was (supposedly) one of the masterminds of the insurrection plot. An extra character could have assisted with this as well.
- As much as I don't enjoy most films that contain flashbacks, I DO think a greater number could have been included in this film, especially scenes from inside the house before anyone is killed.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the flick. YES...much of the acting is exceedingly over-the-top and cringy. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE! YES...the entire flick is riddled with fallacies and stuff that would never really work in "reality," but IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT! So don't go in to this expecting Oscar caliber performances or true-to-life events, 'cause you won't get that. What you WILL get is loads of dark & dry humor accompanied by equal parts blood. Sit back, pop some popcorn, and enjoy.
CONTENT:
- Graphic language and mature content
- Graphic violence and some gore
- Drinking and smoking
*** Lastly, for those who trash this because of its "political overtones," or "wokeness," GET A LIFE! It's just a freakin movie that is making fun of something BECAUSE IT CAN!