Film Review: BITCH ASS: Old School Horror Returns to the Screen in a Routine Fashion [SXSW 2022]

Bitch Ass Review

Bitch Ass (2022) Film Review from the 29th Annual South by Southwest Film Festival, a movie directed by Bill Posley, written by Jonathan Colomb and Bill Posley and starring Teon Kelley, Tunde Laleye, Me’lisa Sellers, Kelsey Caesar, Sheaun McKinney, A-F-R-O, Belle Guillory, Tony Todd, Jarvis Denman Jr., Tim J. Smith, Eric Wright, Ashlei Foushee, Dior Allen, Kendra M. Hill and Mildred Marie Langford.

Tony Todd (Candyman) appears on screen right at the beginning of the new film, Bitch Ass, to introduce this tale of terror revolving around a character who was picked on as a young man and takes vengeance on a group of would be thieves years later. Todd is the perfect actor to present the material which is displayed to the audience in director/co-writer Bill Posley’s entertaining but slight horror picture. With a clever throwback to the days of VHS tapes (which were prevalent in the time period the new film is set in), Bitch Ass gets off to a strong start but loses some momentum halfway through. The film opens in 1980 then flashes forward to 1999 and it ably and richly details the time period the movie sets itself in through homages and throwbacks.

We meet a group of thugs (known as 6th Street) headed by Spade (Sheaun McKinney) but among them is a guy named Q (Teon Kelley) who is also looking to secure a better future for himself and to get a college education. 6th Street plans on robbing a deceased old lady’s home and, unfortunately, for them, the lady’s long-tortured grandson, Cecil, is about to put a wrench in their plans as he is, as Todd puts it early on, the first black serial killer to wear a mask.

“Bitch Ass” is the name which was given to Cecil (played as a young man by Jarvis Denman Jr.) who just wanted to be happy but was picked on and ridiculed by his peers instead. When Cecil attempted to start a relationship with a young lady, his efforts were thwarted by bullies and ruined his life as a result. Cecil is played as the masked killer Bitch Ass quite well by Tunde Laleye. This character is well-conceived even if the end results of the picture could leave audiences wanting a bit more substance to the story line.

Q’s mother, Marsia (Me’lisa Sellers) is struggling financially and Q just wants to help her out which is why he agrees to go rob the old woman’s home. If this plot line of thugs breaking into a home to rob it sounds anything like Don’t Breathe, you’re right except this film has a few cool gimmicks that it reveals. Bitch Ass makes his victims play board games and they must succeed at the game in order to have a chance at securing their life. Some of these games are ones that were clearly inspired by old school titles such as “Connect Four,” “Operation” or “Battleship.”

The audience is also treated to flashback scenes where Cecil as a young man tried to make a life for himself but, instead, got his innocence taken away from him by bullies and even his strict grandmother who made his life more difficult than it needed to be. When Cecil, as Bitch Ass, executes his revenge by taking out the people who come to rob his now deceased grandma’s house, there is a certain level of entertainment value the film achieves through the premise. Particularly effective is when the film crosses out cast members from cards as they are killed off.

One of the gang members is known as Moo (A-F-R-O) and is very distinct and we can’t wait to see him meet up with Bitch Ass and when he does, the scene doesn’t disappoint. A-F-R-O turns in the most memorable performance of the group of robbers who act on what the film calls “666 Night” which is an excuse to commit crime. Another solid turn is that of Belle Guillory as Cricket, the wise-cracking female in the group of thugs. Also noteworthy is Me’lisa Sellers in her charismatic role as the mom, Marsia, who goes looking for Q.

There’s much to admire in Bitch Ass but the movie loses steam as it goes on. It doesn’t sustain the cleverness it reveals early on throughout the entire movie. Nevertheless, the movie will keep audiences watching until the end to see where the movie is ultimately headed. The scenes do lead to an interesting conclusion but some more character development of gang members could have helped make the movie a bit more compelling. Still, Bitch Ass is the type of movie that could develop a cult following.

Rating: 6.5/10

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