Starring - Zach Palica (Dead Note, Everyday), Paul Ogletree (Southern Nightmare, Snake Creek), and Katrina Solo (The Mick, You Can Do Better)
Release Date - 2025
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "It's dinner time, and you're the main course"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Indie creature features are a weakness of mine. Slashers and zombies are my preferred sub-genres but a no budget monster movie will always get my attention. I grew up watching drive-in era monster movies with my grandma while my dad was out of town and that is one of my fondest memories growing up. I still watch monster movies when I can and often look through hashtags on Instagram and Twitter looking for some that may have slipped by me. A week or so ago I was contacted by filmmaker Justin Sulham to check out his indie monster movie Big Bad Betty. I wasn't able to get to it right away but I did add it to my list to check out as soon as I could. I want to thank Justin for reaching out to me and I apologize that it took so long for me to get this one to you.
The film follows a young woman who visits her late grandfather's horse ranch after his death. She takes a group of her friends with her with plans on restoring it to sell or keep in her family. However, an innocent time with her friend turns deadly when they uncover letters that her grandfather may have sired a sheep hybrid. Unbeknownst to them, he really did make a sheep hybrid named Betty that has a taste for blood. Now, Betty is stalking them and one by one they are ripping them apart.
Big Bad Betty is a solid monster movie that does struggle a lot with it's own identity. I enjoyed it for what it is but there was a few things that made the film fall short from being something that really stood out from the crowd. Don't get me wrong, it's an entertaining movie but it does trip over it's own feet before it gets going. The acting in this one is a bit uneven but still fun to watch. The cast works great together but some of the scenes are a bit awkward. I don't know if it's the inexperience showing or if these scenes were rushed. Regardless, it's not bad acting but it does vary from scene to scene. The story for this one struggles with finding itself but is still able to pull out a decent creature feature with a slasher vibe at the end of the day. We have a few scenes that tries to establish that grindhouse look and feel that I can get behind. We then move into a few scenes that was inspired by 80s cinema that I also enjoyed. However, these nods to classic cinema trends does not run the length of the film. They are random and out of place. Honestly, I would have enjoyed if the film would have found one and stuck with it. The same can be said about the characters. Most of the characters are rather grounded and down to Earth while a few, not many, are meant to be used as comic relief. Sadly, the humor doesn't really find it's mark which makes these character feel out of place. These oddball characters feel like they are straight out of a Chris Seaver film while lacking his sense of humor. With that being said, I really liked the set up of the story and what the monster really was. It was different and worked as a modern slasher, as well as, a monster movie. You can tell Sulham really loves the genre and wanted to contribute to the history of horror. Finally, the film has some bloody scenes and a wild looking creature. I love the look of the creature and how deformed it's appendages are. The kills are very violent and fit the film very well. We get a lot of blood and some decent effects but those looking for creative kills and memorable gore will be a bit disappointed. Overall, Big Bad Betty is a fun monster movie inspired slasher that works for a late night watch with some beer or a good edible. It's bloody, violent, and scratches an itch you didn't know you had. Check it out!
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