RATING: B

ITN Distribution presents a B22 Films production. Written and directed by Brett Bentman. Produced by Tiffany McDonald and Brett Bentman. Cinematography by Anthony Gutierrez. 

Stars Hannah Fierman, Emma Claire Dykes, Samuel J. Bennett, Faith McKinstry, and Tiffany McDonald. 

The sultry 1930s cartoon character makes her horror movie debut in this film from the filmmaker who brought us Minnie’s Midnight Massacre.

Jenna, Kara, and Miles are three college seniors who head to a former cabaret club that has been bulldozed and now turned into a home. The trio have heard a legend named Betty, a famous star of the cabaret who owned the club. When Jenna discovers Betty’s journal, she decides to borrow it for a few days and begins to see visions of Betty as well.

As they read the journal, they discover the horrifying truth about what had happened to Betty. As they decide to leave the house, a storm hits the area hard, forcing them to stay in the house. Soon enough, the trio finds themselves haunted by Betty, who is ready to make sure the youngsters know exactly who she is. 

It was bound to happen and leave it to Brett Bentman to churn out the first horror film with Betty Boop as the central antagonist. While we wait for the upcoming Boop, which will star Devanny Pinn as the character, we have Hannah Fierman in the role of Betty in this film. And what is great that Bentman has revealed Betty as someone who is out for revenge, but uses a means of supernatural abilities as the journal entries slowly reveal why Betty, like Minnie in Bentman’s Minnie’s Midnight Massacre, is out for revenge.

Emma Claire Dykes is great as Jenna, an aspiring journalist who finds a great story in Betty’s legend, beginning with her time at the Dizzy Dishes cabaret club. The title of the club is in reference to the very first cartoon Betty Boop appeared in, thus putting her in public domain and resulted in this film and the upcoming Boop. Her friends Miles and Kara, played respectively by Samuel J. Bennett and Faith McKinstry, are a mixed bag.

Miles seems to support Jenna while Kara is completely skeptical of everything that’s occurred. That is, until Betty’s journal appears and as Jenna reads them, begins to see visions of Betty. When the trio do see Betty, the nightmare begins and what’s great about Fierman’s performance is that she starts out mute, using her body language until the second half finally sees her speaking and does a great Betty Boop impersonation. It’s great to learn the backstories of these characters from Bentman as they seem to imply a sense of empowerment and empathy for her public domain characters. 

Betty’s Revenge is actually better than expected with Hannah Fierman’s performance of betty as the highlight alongside the backstory of why she seeks revenge. At a runtime of 75 minutes, it goes by quick once you get into the story.