Film Review: “The Babysitter: Killer Queen” Redelivers Comedy, Action and Gore of its Predecessor, but with Less Originality and More Ridiculousness

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (McG, 2020) 2 out of 4 stars.

This will indefinitely be a film that goes down as a sequel that doesn’t quite live up to the original. I absolutely believe that The Babysitter deserves an honest sequel, and The Babysitter: Killer Queen continues the narrative in an entertaining, gory and funny way. In an attempt to top the previous film, however, it takes all three elements to the absolute extreme, and certainly oversteps ridiculousness.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen returns to the story of Cole (Judah Lewis), two years after he survived the horrible onslaught of his babysitter and her satanic, bloodthirsty cult. Now Cole is in high school, and his journey takes him to a lake party with his best friend, only to find that the sadistic cult has followed him there, reaping horrible (and hilarious) vengeance against him in an attempt to finally complete the ritual. Can Cole survive against the return of his horrible past?

One positive aspect is that director McG (who also made the first film) creates surprising twists and turns, flipping Cole’s world upside down and launching him back into a universe of horror. Jenna Ortega (Saving Flora) stars in this film as an unexpected but delightful new best friend Phoebe, with a mysterious past of her own that satisfyingly ties it all together in the end. While the return of the original “babysitter cult” never truly justifies itself, the result is an extended web of killers that work together to drive both the suspense and the comedy.

Cole’s parents (Ken Marino and Leslie Bibb) and Melanie’s father (Chris Wylde) also play a much more pertinent role in the film, not so much for character development but for additional comedic support. Throughout the film there are also many abstract, expressive scenes that give the film artistic appeal. Overall, it stays true to the genre-bending mix of horror and comedy that its the original had, as well.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much point to this new powerhouse sequel. Cole may have gained a new friend in this film, but unlike in the The Babysitter, where Cole develops courage and strength by the end of the slaughter, no character really takes a genuine journey, and certainly not one we didn’t see in the first film. While the first movie kept up the undertone of Cole’s coming of age, throughout, The Babysitter: Killer Queen takes our hero nowhere, and manages to run us through a clichéd story arc by the end.

Adam Vaughn

Adam Vaughn is a graduate of the Film & Moving Image program at Stevenson University, with a focus in Cinematography and Production. He also has a minor in Theater and Media Performance. Adam works as a freelance photographer and videographer, focusing his craft on creating compelling photographic and cinematic imagery. Adam is excited to join the Film Festival Today team and explore the world of cinema and visual arts.