Mikes Film Talk

I stumbled upon The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020) and loved it. The Babysitter (2017) was next. Our hero; Cole, has a fear of everything. He has quite a case of it in fact. The only thing he is not afraid of is Bee, his cooler than cool sitter. Is Cole too old for a babysitter? You bet. He adores this wonderfully “out there” young woman who really understands science fiction.

Unfortunately for Cole, she is also into some things a little less wholesome than Star Trek and Alien. He is, sadly, about to learn what that is.

*This is a brief breakdown of both films in this limited franchise. There will be no third one as the actor playing Cole will definitely be too old for a babysitter.*

The Babysitter Stories

Cole, who is backward for his age and bullied by everyone at school except for Melanie, has a babysitter. She may be the best in the entire history of sitters. There is one problem. She needs to get Cole’s innocent blood. (The Babysitter 2017)

Cole survives his battle with Bee’s minions. There is no evidence of their existence. He returns to school and nothing has changed. Cole is still bullied except for Melanie. His parents send him to psychoanalysis and he takes tons of pills.

Suddenly the minions return. A new girl; Phoebe, comes to his school. The minions intend to finish what they started in the first film. Bee comes back and this time her motives become more clear. Phoebe and Cole connect. Melanie undergoes a personality change and the battle is fought and won again. (The Babysitter: Killer Queen 2020)

The Cast

Judah Lewis is Cole.

Samara Weaving is Bee.

Emily Alyn Lind is Melanie.

Jenna Ortega is Phoebe.

Andrew Bachelor is John.

Robbie Amell is Max.

Bella Thorne is Allison.

Hana Mae Lee is Sonya.

Ken Marino is Archie.

Leslie Bibb is Phyliss.

Let’s Talk

Both the films are darkly comic. Bee’s minions in the first one are mentally challenged to the nth degree. They most likely could not pass the GED if they had to. Their deaths are bizarre and despite the gore factor, hysterically funny. They are so slow mentally that a 12 year old boy dispatches them all. We learn by the second film that their mental agility has not improved.

Melanie takes over as the “coven” leader. Apparently puberty hit her hard.

Both films are blackly comic and very self aware. Samara Weaving effortlessly makes Bee watchable. Jenna Ortega in the second film kicks arse. Judah Lewis manages to make the fact that he looks about 20, work. All the minion actors are still fantastically funny and Marino and Bibb rule as the goofy parents.

McG directs both features with aplomb and impeccable timing for both the gags and the kills. Brian Duffield writes the screenplay for the first and is replaced with a veritable team of writers for the sequel.

Both films have dialogue that is clever and snappy. This, above anything else, is what makes both of them work.

The Verdicts

Both films slam to the top with a solid 5 stars each. They entertain and are violently funny. These are Netflix babies and are still streaming on that platform. Head over and check them out. Don’t, however, watch them as I did, from back to front. Start with the first one. These are delicious, gory, blackly comic fun. Enjoy.

The Trailers