Top 10 Reasons to Ignore The Babysitter: Killer Queen's Rotten Tomatoes Score

Child actors can make or break a movie. But it's safe to say that McG found himself a star when he cast Judah Lewis. Cole was easy to love in the first film. He was vulnerable, shy, and insecure enough to be relatable but also capable of rising to the occasion when death came a-knocking. In many ways, he feels like a spiritual successor to Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister in the “Home Alone” franchise. Well, McG and his fellow screenwriters did a great job of having Cole be organically shaped by the trauma he experienced two years earlier. He’s gone from an awkward outsider to an awkward outsider who everyone thinks is crazy. He’s the sort of underdog character you love to root for.

It’s no secret that there’s often a wide gap between how critics and audiences receive a film. For example, critics generally seemed to appreciate “Ad Astra,” but the audience score is paltry, to say the least. At the other end of this spectrum is “The Babysitter: Killer Queen.” Reviews are still coming in, but the critics generally aren’t fans. User ratings, however, remain within a very respectable range. The takeaway? This movie is a good time! Is it a cerebral journey? No. Is it going to redefine the horror-comedy genre? Nope! But it’s a fun popcorn flick that fans of the first film will likely enjoy.

Speaking of things that are easy to enjoy… it’s hard to find fault with the selection of songs that play throughout this film. The first “Babysitter” seemingly took a sonic cue from “Guardians of the Galaxy” by embracing a retro sound. Artists like Dusty Springfield, Foghat, and Queen were tapped to set the mood, with a few more “out there” artists like Peaches subbing in occasionally to give it some edge. The sequel follows a similar formula. Not only does Queen make a return for a mandatory nod to the film’s title, but they’re joined by the likes of Jefferson Airplane and Tommy Tutone. Most notably supplying a bit of “edginess” this time around are punk legends the “Dead Kennedys.”

As much as we love Judah Lewis, it’s our crew of ruthless young killers who really serve as the lifeblood of this franchise. We’ll be talking about them more at length later in the video, but right now we want to focus on their origins. Though sequels typically move the story forward, they’re also a great opportunity to give us a glimpse into the past. Throughout this sequel, we get very brief origin stories for Max, Sonya (SONE-yah), Allison, and John, providing context as to why they each decided to get involved with the occult. You’ve gotta be pretty desperate to make a deal with the devil. And in each of their own unique ways… they all clearly were!

When you try to make a film that feels timely and relevant, you run the risk of it quickly coming to feel dated. We think you should give this movie a chance, true, but we’re not here to oversell it. And so if we’re being honest, “The Babysitter: Killer Queen” goes a bit overboard with all the pop culture references. Some of them, like a nod to Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott breaking up, already feel dated. That being said, for every pop culture joke that falls flat, there’s a reference that feels well-earned and adds to the overall experience. Besides, as Cole himself says in a pop culture reference that does work, few sequels have ever rivaled the original.

The first “Babysitter” movie distinguished itself with some unique, fourth-wall-breaking visual elements. The sequel once again employs text and graphics on screen, while also taking the fourth wall breaks and surreal elements to a whole new level. About two-thirds of the way through the film, the action is interrupted with a totally absurd dance sequence. Cole and Phoebe are transported to an illuminated dance floor (complete with a disco ball) where they show off some new outfits while busting a move to Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache.” The killers even pop up dressed for the occasion. We won’t spoil what this sequence represents, but let's just say... the metaphor speaks loud and clear when put in context.

McG got a lot of things right with the first “Babysitter” film. But at the end of the day, none of that would have mattered had he not managed to achieve a golden ratio of horror to comedy. His approach to horror-comedy is by no means groundbreaking; like “The Cabin in the Woods,” “The Babysitter” definitely skews in favor of comedy over horror. Be that as it may, the combination of humor, jump scares, and gore is a crowd-pleasing concoction. McG recreates that same recipe in the sequel while also adding in some new ingredients. The end result is a lighthearted ride that - even gallons of blood later - you can walk away from with a smile on your face.

The big problem with horror films? The character development. Because the vast majority of characters are doomed to wind up in the morgue, most screenwriters don’t bother crafting particularly memorable ones. You need to replace them in the sequel! Thankfully, this franchise has got a built-in excuse to bring back its fantastic roster of larger-than-life killers. When you sign your name in a demonic book, the line between life and death is a bit thinner than usual. While this film can admittedly feel like more of the same at times, when it comes to John, Max, Allison, and Sonya… that’s a good thing!

Fresh blood is essential to any good sequel. Unfortunately, any new addition to an established cast is also risky - the chemistry can be very hit or miss. Thankfully, the casting department knocked it out of the park when they chose to bring Jenna Ortega onboard to play Phoebe. A new transfer to Cole and Melanie’s high school, Phoebe makes it clear from the outset that, like Cole, she’s an outsider. Unlike Cole, however, she’s not ashamed of it. The rebellious bad girl can often feel like a tired trope — especially when that’s the character’s only defining characteristic. Ortega shines bright in the role, however, bringing heart, humor, and a certain authenticity to Phoebe.

We love Cole. But let’s be honest: as is the case with any good slasher/ teen-focused horror flick, a big part of this film’s draw can be chalked up to the body count. If a horror film is too self-serious, all the bloodshed can start to feel needlessly gratuitous. We get immune to its shock value and that eventually gives way to boredom. Because “Killer Queen” infuses comedy into the kills, however, it feels like one big joke that we’re all in on. And sticking with that metaphor a little further, the fatal punchlines in this film are bigger and bolder than in the original. This film is a multi-course meal of creative carnage that you’ll just need to experience for yourself!