Bang Bang Betty (2023) User Reviews

Serviceable action movie with flaws to be ironed out.

[dancammoen · 6/10 · 29 May 2023]

Overall, it's a fun ride, but there are some glaring flaws that should be ironed out with the director's next one.

There is some awkwardly long takes where characters are just standing around, the most glaring one being the fight between Valerie and Matthew at the end. It looks like she does something to his arm, then just stands around and waits for him to fight again, and he's all better. Maybe there was a in between cut that had him fix his arm or something?

Acting wise, about three characters are great, the rest are questionable at best. Val, Kiara, and Matthew have the strongest performances, the remainder are good to "first day acting" performances.

The fights are by far the strongest part of this! Highlights include Kiara fight between two officers that pull her over and Valerie and Matthew's fight (save for the aforementioned break in action). The gunplay is all right, it looks like a lot of the folks didn't quite know how to hold the weapons, but most of them reacted fairly well. I'm betting we were able to get a stunt team to do a lot of the work, but had to ask some of the actors who hadn't practiced before to participate later on.

It's great for a bee movie, and you can tell there are great ideas and great performances in here, now it's just up to the team to polish all of it up and make it awesome for the next one!

Gun Action and Strong Characters with Second Chances

[Kadushin · 7/10 · 24 May 2023]

It's Kakra Nunoo-Brown and Emily Rose Hernandez versus Marc Anthony Wazer and Daniel Moen in action-drama "Bang Bang Betty" a well put together, modern, exploitation feature film with a host of supporting characters - most notably Gerald Parrish as a father and big-brother figure.

Directed by Alexander T. Hwang and DP is Adam Beck; the other notable crew lead in this is the stunt coordinator Gary Choi (and yes you do see him die) and Rising Star Stunt Team (yes many of them die) on camera.

The film takes visual advantage of the exterior locations in New Mexico and Mexico, and even the interior scenes have attention to detail in their set-up.

High quality looks and editing, this is a modern version of an exploitation movie where the story takes on consideration of men and women.

The script is by Deanna Gomez with the story by Gomez and Hwang.

The story has a few coincidences... but sometimes in a smaller town or small city everybody does end up knowing everybody.

With a lower budget (no car chases, but people in a hurry from time to time in their cars), sometimes moving or fast healing wounds are a distraction, but overall worth watching from beginning to end to see who will win and why.

Some of the best performances, lines and background information are in the second half of the film - the mysterious, suspense elements of who has loyalty to whom - and what their true motivations are enough to make it worth watching to the end.

With a large cast, each of the main characters and even some of the tertiary characters have their moments in further setting the scene and situation.

For me the violence was the reason for the 18 plus rating, but others may notice some of the language nearly as much. If they had a 24 plus rating for violence, I might even go that far. Trigger warning for PTSD from military service or gun violence victims.

D Movie at best

[derrickdedmon · 1/10 · 24 May 2023]

Where do I start?! The terrible writing. The terrible story. The terrible acting and The terrible direction. Only a simpleton would be entertained by this ...movie, if you could call it one? This director stays making D-Movies. From the stupidity of "Bearry" to the disaster known as "Something in the Woods", one has to ask, how in the hell does this guy keep making films?

How does a lawyer takes the law into her own hands and dishes out justice? How is said attorney not know of her supposed boyfriend's illegal activity? Who the hell is this Ray character? Why does Ray's daughter flip-flop so damn much? The entire cast needs acting lesson! Oh yeah! What's with the CGI explosions?

Again, only an imbecile, a simple minded idiot who doesn't know one iota about movies inside and out, will be entertained by this pass poor movie.

Epic Action, Drama

[kjs1144 · 9/10 · 19 May 2023]

Bang Bang Betty is an interesting action/suspense/drama with a very strong and fascinating female protagonist. Kiara, the main character, is a veteran and a lawyer, and an all around cool woman. Kakra Nunoo-Brown gives a fantastic performance as Kiara Sommers, and really makes the audience root for her in her quest. I thought the filming locations were excellent, very cinematic and interesting. The cinematography was also excellent, along with some pretty epic drone shots of the landscapes. The gun shootouts were really well done and I thought the special effects were solid, especially the blood.

Hell hath no fury like a woman mourned.

[RBIves-202-725352 · 9/10 · 16 May 2023]

This movie starts out with a bang (ha) and keeps it moving from there. Who doesn't love a good revenge movie with the setup of Hang 'Em High? Betty is left for dead, but crawls herself back to the land of the living. From there we get to sit and watch as she wreaks havoc on those that did her wrong.

There's a bunch of cool photography in this movie when Betty is hanging on for life. It's also fun to watch this gal use her hand to hand combat skills to pummel pretty much everyone she comes into contact with, moreso because the whole lot of them deserve it.

Great casting, needle drops, and some over-the-top villains and henchmen round out a good time here. Don't miss it!

Excellent

[directortim2012 · 9/10 · 14 May 2023]

I had such a great time with this movie! My girlfriend and I watched it together and both thought it was pretty awesome. A really great crime/drama/action movie. It felt raw and real at times. But big and cool, like a Tarantino movie at other spots. The action was really well choreographed. I don't know if there were professional stunt people involved with this movie, but either way, the actors totally sold the action and made it all seem real. The lead character was cool and kick-ass. Few things are as much fun as watching a badass woman kick ass against the bad guys. I enjoyed the film from beginning to end!

Bang Bang Betty does not disappoint!

[mettlesetdesigner · 9/10 · 23 May 2023]

Bang Bang Betty is an indie action movie that throws some punches in more than one way. It's gritty, it's real and it's on point! Kakra Nunoo-Brown as Assistant DA Kiara, a person with a past, knows how to throw some punches. And Emily Rose Hernandez as Valerie is stunningly beautiful firing a high powered assault rifle. It's hard to pull off an indie action movie and Bang Bang Betty does a great job at it. The camera work is great and the acting is believable but what really stood out to me was the music. The soundtrack is just great! Can't wait to check out Bang Bang Betty, Valerie's Revenge. If you like a female lead action movie and guns and explosion, Bang Bang Betty will not disappoint.

Fun Tale of Vengeance

[photo-859-401631 · 8/10 · 12 November 2023]

This is a story of justice and vengeance done in a fun style. The movie starts sexy, adds some action, which leads to a big shoot out, showdown in a desert town. The direction is solid, the cinematography beautiful, and if the pacing slows down a bit towards the third act, the action ramps up again for the final shoot out. The performances are good, some a little underplayed to let the drama push the story along (this is a revenge story after all) but Emily Rose Hernandez lead performance holds the story together. There are some standout supporting performances including Kevin Caliber bringing the macho energy to his role and, especially, Mariah Padilla as one tough bad b**** whom I would have loved to have seen more of in the movie. This is a popcorn movie that is fun and melodramatic in the right amounts.

Entertaining and fun

[AndrettiDante · 8/10 · 8 June 2023]

Bang Bang Betty is a great movie that I highly recommend. The film is very entertaining and keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The action is wonderful and acting two thumbs up. The film is great entertainment you will be hooked so dim the lights turn the sound up grab a snack and enjoy. I hear it will be a trilogy and I am hooked can't wait. The action and story is amazing great acting with a fantastic director and crew. High fives all around. You all did a fantastic job. I am showing my friends and family this weekend. I know they will enjoy indeed. This is what Indie Films are all about great storytelling and keeping you engaged on what they will do next.

Bang Bang you got something good here.

[shagee7977 · 10/10 · 9 November 2023]

"Bang Bang Betty" kicks off with the introduction of Kiara, a veteran known as Bang Bang Betty from her combat days. Now working as a lawyer with a desire to atone for her past, her life takes a dark turn when her informant is murdered, and she narrowly survives a brutal attack. With no alternative, Kiara taps into the combat skills she honed during her military service to confront a notorious crime boss. Director Alexander T. Hwang delivers action-packed sequences tightly and beautifully edited . The lead performances by Kakra Nunoo-Brown as Kiara and Emily Rose Hernandez as Valerie are backed by a stellar supporting cast, including Marc Anthony Wazer as Darnell and Daniel Moen as Mathew, who injects humor into the narrative. The well-choreographed fight scenes and action sequences are executed at a professional level, making Valerie's character a true standout and eliciting cheers from the viewers.

Cool Indie Action Flick

[echapman7 · 8/10 · 11 November 2023]

At its best, this is like a low-budget Kill Bill. It has solid action and welcome touches of humor. The standout in the cast is Kakra Nunoo-Brown as the title character. She's strikingly beautiful but also warm and approachable - that is unless you get on her wrong side as her enemies soon discover. I wouldn't be surprised if her career took off and she became a household name.

Gerald Parrish is also good as her mentor/father figure Ray - though their bonding and subsequent training sequence is a bit rushed. Still, I enjoyed their playful banter.

Emily Rose Hernandez is the other cast standout, both tough and beautiful, though with a vulnerability that wins the audience over.

Good Tubi popcorn flick.

Action Packed with fun moments and thrills to ride!

[williamlfitz · 10/10 · 11 November 2023]

Bang Band Betty has a fun and all around cast and supports each other. With characters that find tehmselves rediscovering who they are. And how they lead to moments of betrayal and loyalty amonsgt each other.

Driven with motives that bring events leading up to new stages. Antagonists reveal more than it seems with corner moments of suspense.

The action has very well round choreography and elevates contact of fights and perfect timing of action.

The setting of scenes and DP work and Directing brings the best in the actors performances. And making the film enjoyable to watch and see the story move in excellence of syncrony achievements.

Very fun to watch and see soemthing action pack again in movies!