Becky and Wrath of Becky
                                                                                 
Becky (2020) - 7.0


I gave five "Fuckin-A's" while watching this film which is a pretty good number from me. Three bloody gory killing scenes, one eye-rolling anatomical scene and one surprise death. I have been a fan of women action films for a long time now, but apparently, I am a fan of girl action films as well. Children killers are becoming a thing. The Bad Seed shocked audiences years ago, but we have become inured to that - children killers are kind of cool. The filmmakers go full throttle here. Being more sensitive than most, I had to turn away at times. All for a good cause. Our psychopath. Clearly brought up on multiple viewings of Rambo.



Becky (Lulu Wilson) is a teenage girl who has lost her mother to cancer and has had a falling out with her father (Joel McHale). She has become a sullen little shit filled with anger. When he takes her to a vacation lake house and introduces her to his fiancé (Amanda Brugel) and her son, she flips out and runs off into the woods with her Rottweiler where she has a small fort. A group of five Nazis who have just escaped from prison show up looking for a key. To what, we never find out. A classic film device. Perhaps to the brain of Hitler. They left the key in a hidden place five years previously before jail and now it is gone. This does not please them. They eventually realize that Becky has it. Little girl, just bring it and all will be ok.  



Becky remembering Rambo First Blood, thinks fuck that. Let me just kill them all. In the bloodiest body-parting ways imaginable. If I had a daughter, I would want one like this. Don't fuck with me or I will sic Becky on you. Of all the places to hide your key. Bad luck. A psycho who was already bursting with anger and has a pencil set. It takes a good forty minutes of building up before Becky goes into action. The main Nazi is played by Kevin James with his head shaven and a full beard with Swastika tattoos - a long ways from being Paul Blart or the King of Queens. The film is let down by some poor dialogue - especially when James tries to persuade her to give him the key - Becky no one understands you like I do - we could team up - to which she sets him on fire. Go Becky. There is a sequel - The Wrath of Becky. I wonder how many she kills in that one. I guess I will find out.




The Wrath of Becky (2023) - 6.5


What's your son's name?"

"Adolf"

Wrong answer.

Becky is back. The last we saw of her, she was a 14-year-old who had just taken out a group of neo-Nazis by herself in the most grizzly of ways. But there are always more fascists to kill. It is still quite enjoyable watching her do so though it doesn't have the same visceral and surprising impact as the first one. We have already seen her in action and to a large degree this follows in its footsteps. At 83-minutes, I felt a little shortchanged. I wanted more. Becky as played again by Lulu Wilson is a buzz saw of anger and slyness and constantly creative in her kills.



It is two years later. As far as we know, she has not killed anyone else. She is renting a room in the house of an elderly woman (Denise Burse) and Becky has grown quite fond of her over games of scrabble. At her job in a diner, she infuriates three guys who belong to an organization called Noble Men which clearly is a play on Proud Boys. They talk too much and the coffee she spills on his lap is no accident. Becky hates fascists. These guys would be working for ICE today. They follow her home and beat her. The elderly lady is killed. They leave Becky alive. What the hell can a 16-year-old do. Becky discovers where they are holed up with two more Noble Men. The leader is played by Stifler aka Seann William Scott, who does a fine job being a terrifying psychopath. There is a knock on the door. A phone ringing. The killing soon begins. There is talk of another sequel. Good by me.