"The Wrath of Becky" a mean, cheer-worthy blast of Becky doing what Becky does

The Wrath of Becky (2023)

Released during the summer of 2020, “Becky” was a nasty, gonzo little surprise that did big numbers for VOD and drive-in theaters. It gave us Lulu Wilson as an understandably grieving-turned-bloodthirsty teenager taking on a group of neo-Nazis, led by one Kevin James. Notably, the sequel, “The Wrath of Becky,” comes from a different set of filmmakers, directors Suzanne Coote and Matt Angel. Having swapped tonal sensibilities with the filmmaking team behind the original “Becky,” Coote and Angel (who wrote the script) actually amp up the tongue-in-cheek tone in lieu of the feel-bad nihilism of their own inauspicious 2018 home-invasion horror movie “The Open House.” If you liked the chipmunk beanie-wearing killing machine’s cathartic, ultra-violent spree the first time, chances are “The Wrath of Becky” will deliver the outrageously blood-drenched goods with a gleeful twinkle in its eye.

Three years prior, our resourceful heroine fought off and murdered said neo-Nazis who were looking for a “stupid fucking key” at her family lake house. It resulted in a lot of dead bodies, including her own father (Joel McHale), and Becky managed to make ground beef out of Kevin James’ skinhead with a lawnmower. In the interim, Becky is now 16 and an orphan. With her canine companion Diego (played by Pac Williams), she has gone through foster families, only to settle in with kindly older woman Elena (Denise Burse). They have a mutual understanding; Elena doesn’t ask where she came from as long as Becky earns her keep by working at a diner. Of course, that newfound happiness comes crashing down as soon as The Noblemen—racist, misogynistic, gun-toting, faux-patriotic alphas—come to town for a rally. As soon as a Proud Boys-like trio tests Becky and her anger issues at the diner, they follow her home and end up taking Diego. But Becky is not messing around, taking out each of these white supremacist fuckers at their meeting place in a remote cabin whilst uncovering an assassination plot. 

Tonally, “The Wrath of Becky” shifts from the feral ferocity of the first film to something more playful and closer to “Kick-Ass 2” — only, you know, better. Starting with a literal “I know what you’re thinking…” intro, this sequel could have easily grown tiresome real fast with a queasily smug attitude that gets off on the violence. Perhaps the movie itself does have a bloodlust as much as the titular Becky does, as she fantasizes herself slashing the throats of disgruntled customers at the diner. Then again, these pro-hate antagonists are so awful and probably not far off from real-world nationalist organizations that we can’t wait for Becky to reach them. Directors Suzanne Coote and Matt Angel decidedly fashion a revenge fantasy that’s taut, brutal, irreverent, and fast-paced, while doubling down on the punk-rock style.

Lulu Wilson does not disappoint in her reprisal as Becky, proving herself to be a force and bringing a jet-black sense of humor to her angry, funny, always-sharp performance. Having already taken on darker roles, it’s not as startling as it was with fellow comic actor Kevin James to find Seann William Scott as our lead baddie, Darryl. Instead of going too over the top, Scott finds a calm menace that's scarier somehow, while Michael Sirow, Aaron Dalla Villa, co-director Matt Angel, and Courtney Gains (“Children of the Corn”) all play different versions of these despicable, craven Noblemen (the mice to Becky's cat). An unsuspecting Jill Larson (always and forever Deborah Logan of “The Taking of Deborah Logan”) is also game in mixing Southern charm and malevolence. 

These movies love their MacGuffins, continuing with the skinheads’ key from the first “Becky” and working in a thumb drive this time, but these plot points are minor compared to the exploding heads and an arrow through a man’s cheek. It takes the right tone and performers to make a blithely mean-spirited movie this entertaining and not unpleasant. “The Wrath of Becky” is a lot of mean, cheer-worthy fun, and it’s franchise-ready. In this context, the prospect of a “Becky Cinematic Universe” makes one itching to see more of Becky getting sweet revenge on America’s worst. 

Grade: B

Quiver Distribution is releasing “The Wrath of Becky” (83 min.) in select theaters on May 26, 2023.