Horror Movie Review: Betty’s Revenge (2026)

I’ve not been particularly kind to Brett Bentman and his directorial work so far, so going into Betty’s Revenge, you could forgive me for having a bad taste in my mouth already. However, I’m always up for having my mind changed, and went in believing that even a creative like Bentman might be able to pull a decent film out of his ass. Especially with the potential of a Betty Boop slasher character.

Does he? Kind of. This is probably my favourite film of his to date, but it’s not a great film.

So, the Betty Boop of the 1930 short, Dizzy Dishes, is in the public domain now, which means the ‘sex symbol’ is fair game for horror creators. Continuing a trend birthed by Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey of beloved public domain characters being transformed by horror. Some of which Bentman is responsible for too.

Betty’s Revenge is a slasher horror, but with a twist that makes it not only better to watch, but with a more meaningful story.

Once upon a time, the Dizzy Dishes cabaret club was the stuff of legends and its star, Betty, was beloved far and wide. That was until a fire destroyed it and killed many inside. The club now lies abandoned, a shell of its former self, and ghosts stories are rife. Which brings three college students (Emma Claire Dykes, Samuel J. Bennett, and Faith McKinstry) into the mix as they get the opportunity to interview the sole survivor of the fire, Betty (Hannah Fierman).

Standard slasher fare, right? Not quite as while it is true that Betty has an ulterior motive and a big knife, what she really wants is her story to be told. She is a victim, and like many, many women, was exploited and treated like a possession.

It is a surprisingly deep angle for Betty’s Revenge to take, and for some, will be extremely off putting as every bit of marketing sells this as slasher popcorn fodder. However, I was glad to see Bentman take a new look at the character and tie it into real life issues. He doesn’t quite have the deft hand to make it completely work, but I admire the attempt and like what does work, especially Hannah Fierman’s portrayal. I think she does a good job of getting the Betty Boop mannerisms down but I would have liked to see her ramp up as the film goes on.

This is not a drama though; it is a horror and there’s simply not enough of that to warrant its existence as a horror film version of Betty Boop.

It either needed to be a dramatic thriller pulling back the curtain on exploitation, or it needed to be an over-the-top slasher. Attempting to do both, while not committing too hard to either is a big problem and inevitably hurts the overall enjoyment of it. Making a 75-minute runtime feel a lot longer than it actually is.

It’s not a bad film, a hell of a lot better than a lot of Brett Bentman’s other films, but it doesn’t quite manage to leave a big enough impression.