The Wrath of Becky (2023) || A Blood-splattered Revenge Flick

Directed by: Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote

Sometimes, a film doesn’t need a complex story or a star-studded cast to work. It just needs a girl with a grudge, a dog and a machete or a few bombs and glocks. I honestly can’t get enough of this movie. It is horrendous and hilarious at the same time. I mean it knows exactly what kind of movie it wants to be and leans in with bloody confidence. It’s chaotic, pulpy and unapologetically violent but beneath all the gore is a sharp, angry heart that fuels its twisted sense of justice. It just makes sense on every side.

Synopsis

Becky (Lulu Wilson), a sixteen year old, has been living off the grid with her dog Diego and a kind of guardian figure, Elena, trying to rebuild some semblance of peace after years of living in chaos, moving from foster home to the other after the death of her parents. But when a group of far-right extremists calling themselves the “Noble Men” break into her home, kill Elena and take Diego, they make the fatal mistake of assuming Becky is powerless.

Review and Rating

I couldn’t get enough of Becky. I loved her fierceness, her spirit of revenge. Instead of laying low and being tossed around and bullied like a child, she always stood up for herself. Trust me she completely owns the role. After the assasination of her dad and the death of her mother due to cancer, Becky was once scared but she grew up well. She’s no longer the scared girl from her past. She’s angry, calculated and surprisingly funny. Her deadpan delivery and self-awareness make her one of the more refreshing young action protagonists I’ve seen in a while.

This film’s greatest strength lies in how it balances humor and brutality like I earlier emphasized. Becky is ruthless which I like of course. The kills are also inventive and graphic but the good part is that it’s all delivered with a kind of twisted charm that makes the bloodshed oddly satisfying. You root for her, not because she’s a hero but because she’s the only one standing between you and the evil the “Noble Men” represent.

Well I won’t leave out one other character that made the film worthwhile although he’s the annoying villain; Seann William Scott. He plays Sean, the group’s collected leader. He isn’t cartoonishly evil, which makes him even more unsettling. He’s the kind of villain who smiles as he talks about violence and that’s deadly because I’d rather a villain frowned and murdered me than smile. Uggh!. That said, most of the other members of the group are underdeveloped, serving more as stepping stones for Becky’s rage than characters in their own right but they add to the film's humor.

The film also doesn’t overstay its welcome. It runs under 90 minutes, maintaining a tight pace. One thing I think you should know is that while it keeps things moving, it also doesn’t dig too deep. The emotional stakes are established early and then mostly sidelined in favor of action. So, if you’re looking for layers, you won’t find many here. But if you’re here for clever kills and a bold, blood soaked teen antihero, you’re in luck. And you’re very welcome.

Rating: 3.5/5