Film Review: ‘The Wrath of Becky’ is a Fun and Lean Sequel That Delivers Exactly What It Promises

Back in 2020, Becky was a fairly straightforward action/thriller. Aside from the mild quirk of a teen girl fighting back against the Neo-Nazis who murdered her father, it hit the standard genre notes. Now, it was a good film, but nothing to go too crazy over. So, it was somewhat unexpected to see a sequel in the works, given the modest nature of the first one. The movie is here now, and let me tell you, The Wrath of Becky is even better. This flick is a delicious little surprise, from start to finish.

The Wrath of Becky is an improvement on the already solid prior installment. There’s a sense of fun that wasn’t really there the last time. It was ridiculous, but started from a serious position. Here, it’s a lot more sarcastic, while never shortchanging the lead’s trauma. It ends up making for an even more satisfying experience.

Two years after the events of Becky, our title character (Lulu Wilson) is trying to move on. She lives with an older woman named Elena (Denise Burse) who doesn’t question her past, along with Becky’s dog. Working as a waitress, she’s pursuing a normal life. Then, a trio of “Nobel Men” (essentially Proud Boys) arrive at the diner, on the way to a rally against a liberal United States Senator. She doesn’t take kindly to their shenanigans and messes with them. In return, they break into her and Elena’s home, killing the latter and hurting/kidnapping the dog. Becky is knocked out in the process, awakening to see the carnage. Suddenly, the old instincts kick in.

Determined to get her dog back, Becky begins hunting down the Nobel Men. This leads her directly to the home of their leader, Darryl (Seann William Scott), where he and his lieutenant are holed up with the trio she previously encountered. Sizing them up, the next step is to take them out, one by one. Darryl may be highly trained, but Becky is in a league of her own.

Lulu Wilson is even better here, having evolved the character into a fully formed badass. She gets to be just as tough, but also let loose with some good lines, sarcasm, and a more well-rounded character. You’ll be eager to see Wilson play this part again, if a trilogy does happen. As for Seann William Scott, he underplays the villain role, to be sure, but is an imposing presence. His calm demeanor actually makes him more off-putting. Aside from Denise Burse, the supporting players include Aaron Dalla Villa, Courtney Gains, Jill Larson, Gabriella Piazza, Kate Siegel, and Michael Sirow, among others.

Directors/co-writers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote give this sequel a different feel. The script they penned with Nick Morris is full of far more laughs than last time, while their direction has a sense of fun to it. Angel and Coote are ragging on white nationalists, sure, but they also mine black comedy out of our heroine slaughtering them. They also know to keep a sense of stakes, so between that and a solid pacing, the lean running time allows you never to feel like the premise has worn thin. Bring on another Becky flick, frankly, especially considering where this one leaves off.

The Wrath of Becky delivers what it promises. If you saw the first one, you’re almost certainly going to enjoy this one even more. However, seeing the prior movie is in no way a requirement. The film very much stands on its own. All in all, this is a supremely satisfying genre offering, with a badass lead that you’ll want to see even more of!

SCORE: ★★★