My Thoughts on The Babysitter: Killer Queen

 

I suppose I should preface this by talking about how I felt about the first Babysitter movie, and cards on the table, it didn't do anything for me. Not at first, anyway. No, my initial viewing of the film was marred by what I can only assume was an aversion to fun, and so when I revisited the film a few months ago, I was overjoyed to discover that I was very, very wrong. The Babysitter is a real blast, genre-savvy and over-the-top stylised, held together by an ace Samara Weaving performance. It knows what it is and it works within its style and genre to become something more than what it advertised, I'd recommend it wholeheartedly, especially as a gateway film for those looking to sink their teeth into the genre more. The news of a sequel didn't exactly fill me with confidence (despite the open ending), but having been converted into a fan by the first film's gory charms, I actually found myself looking forward to it. So how does The Babysitter: Killer Queen stack up to the surprise horror gem of 2017?

Spoiler alert: it doesn't. Not entirely anyway. I'll elaborate on why I found this so disappointing later, but for now, let's talk about the story. The plot once again follows Judah Lewis' Cole, recovering from what happened two years before in the way that only slasher protagonists do, which is to say that nobody believes him and everyone thinks he's crazy. Business as usual then, until an attempt to just be a normal teenager goes awry on a trip to the lake that once again sees him fight for his life against the same cult from the first film, now suspiciously more alive than when we last saw them. 

I'll say right now that this plot doesn't work at all. It takes a lot of contrivances and regularly defies its own logic, which is kind of a disappointment for a film where the hero learns that taking the easy way out is rarely the right thing to do. The big shocks are certainly effective but suffer from a serious inability to make any sense whatsoever. I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum so as not to get sacrificed myself, but the first big twist in this film just doesn't sit right with me. It makes for a thrilling, interesting plot, but it's hard to buy considering what the first film lay down. I can forgive it somewhat because as a catalyst it does make for an interesting story, but even still it's the first of many bizarre leaps in logic that the film makes

Of course the big twist won't be spoiled here. No, not the one that's in the trailer for some reason, but what comes after that. What I will say is that it's one of the most ham-fisted reveals in recent memory. Not only does it completely undermine this film, it kind of spoils the first one, too. For as much fun as this film is, ultimately it just isn't a satisfying story at all, completely and surprisingly undoing itself in a climax that feels like it's being written on the spot

Not that it's all bad either. They certainly had more fun with the gore this time around, because the kills in Babysitter 2 are insane. Creative, well-executed and oftentimes hilarious, the ways that characters are offed ends up becoming the film's saving grace. Speaking of the jokes, it's also really funny. Not as funny as the first film, and definitely not as charming, but the jokes aren't bad here at all. They don't do much to save the film, but they at least make it fun. And speaking of fun, the cast are by far the best thing about this movie, and it's clear that everyone involved had an absolute blast, which turns out to be infectious 

Newcomer Jenna Ortega is probably the MVP here, taking to the film's ultra-specific tone with absolute ease. My favourite of the old guard is still Robbie Amell, going full-douchebag once more and actually outdoing himself this time around. Apart from that, there aren't too many standouts. Yeah, I said the cast are the best thing here, but they mainly just ensure that the experience is fun and the tone is consistent, which it definitely is. They're solid across the board, and apart from the two I mentioned, none of them really outdo any of the others

So no, The Babysitter: Killer Queen is not a great film, on its own or as a sequel. It's not unwatchable, and given my history with the first one I could benefit from trying it again, but fun as it is it just doesn't hold up to any sort of scrutiny. It lacks the kind of internal logic that kept the original afloat, so it just feels kind of makeshift, employing any story beat kind of on the spot in its rush towards its messy (on every level) climax. So yeah, it gives me no pleasure to say it's a damp squib, although, who knows? Maybe in another three years I'll change my mind

★ ★