Bitch Ass is a 2022 American crime horror film directed by Bill Posley and starring Tony Todd.[1] It is Posley’s feature directorial debut.[2]
| Bitch Ass | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | Bill Posley |
| Written by | Jonathan Colomb Bill Posley |
| Starring | Tony Todd |
| Cinematography | Steven Parker |
| Music by | Joseph Mohan |
Production company | Zebra Kidd Productions |
| Distributed by | Quiver Distribution |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThe film opens with a framing device, where Tony Todd introduces the movie, claiming it to have been previously lost media and praising the titular character's place in Black horror as the first masked black serial killer.
Cecil is a young boy who lives with his abusive, religious grandmother during the 1970s. His sole joys are boardgames and the local beauty Marsia. This leads him to get bullied by some of the other kids, particularly as Spade is dating Marsia. The bullies call him "bitch ass" and eventually Spade goads the others into committing a brutal assault on Cecil that involves slicing off parts of Cecil's face.
Approximately 20 years later, Cecil's grandmother has died. Spade, has grown to be a small-time thug with a gang made up of local kids. When he learns of her death he decides to task them with robbing the place, as he believed it to have been empty. Among these kids is Marsia's son Q, who she wants to gain a better life by attending college.
Shortly after breaking into the house they discover that it has been set up with various tricks and traps that mimic popular board games like Jenga and Operation. They learn that all of these games were set up by "Bitch Ass", who is revealed to be the alter ego of Cecil, whose mind is now broken due to years of abuse. Bitch Ass picks them off one by one, only sparing Q because the boy empathized with him. Marsia and Spade arrive and are also captured. Bitch Ass forces Spade to play him in a deadly game of Battleship, during which Spade experiences genuine remorse for his past actions. Bitch Ass then forces Spade to wear a gas mask filled with poisonous gas.
It is revealed that Cecil's grandmother is not dead and has been monitoring Q. Marsia is brought to Q, causing the boy to realize that he must challenge Bitch Ass to another game if he and his mother are to survive. He and the killer play rock, paper, scissors, where each brutalizes their hand if they lose. Eventually this causes Marsia to snap and she attacks the grandmother. This distracts Bitch Ass, allowing Marsia to overpower him and escape with her son. The two return home, believing that they are safe. She soon discovers that this is not the case and that Bitch Ass will come for her, as he had left a Rubik's cube on her desk.
Cast
edit- Tony Todd as Titus Darq
- Sheaun McKinney as Spade
- Tunde Laleye as Bitch Ass
- Me'lisa Sellers as Marsia Gatson
- Teon Kelley as Quentin
- A-F-R-O as Moo
- Kelsey Caesar as Tuck
- Belle Guillory as Cricket
- Jarvis Denman Jr. as Young Cecil
- Tim J. Smith as Bootzs
- Sherri L. Walker-Meriwether as Grandma
Production
editAccording to Posley, Clarence Williams III was considered for the role portrayed by Todd.[3]
Release
editThe film premiered on March 14, 2022 at South by Southwest.[4] The film was also shown at the Chattanooga Film Festival in June 2022.[5]
It was announced in June 2022, that Quiver Distribution acquired North American rights to the film, which was released on October 14, 2022.[6][7]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 65% of 26 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.60/10. The website's consensus reads: "It's more entertaining in theory than execution, but if you're looking for an amusingly cheesy slasher, Bitch Ass should just about fit the bill."[8]
Carlos Aguilar of IndieWire graded the film a B− and wrote, "Invoking an oft-overlooked canon, actor turned director Bill Posley fabricates a highly entertaining homage to the Black horror of decades past with Bitch Ass..."[9]
Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood gave the film a positive review, calling it "a funny, charming piece of B-horror cinema that has what it takes to stand firm among the many B-movie cult classics."[10]
Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film a negative review and wrote, "There's just not enough imagination or tact to make this all unsettling or fun, even though a serial killer named Bitch Ass is a good hook."[11]
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting and Mary Beth McAndrews of Dread Central both awarded the film a three out of five score.[12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Squires, John (March 15, 2022). "'Bitch Ass' Clip – Tony Todd Plays Horror Host in the SXSW Slasher". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
- ^ Hamman, Cody (7 July 2022). "Bitch Ass: slasher movie starring Tony Todd gets an October release date". JoBlo.com. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Ewing, Jeff (April 30, 2022). "How Bill Posley And Jonathan Colomb Created An Innovative New Horror Antagonist In 'Bitch Ass' [Interview]". Forbes. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (March 14, 2022). "'Bitch Ass' SXSW Clip: 'Candyman' Star Tony Todd Heralds Hollywood's Next Generation Black Horror Stars". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ Hamman, Cody (May 2, 2022). "Chattanooga Film Festival virtual line-up includes slashers starring Tony Todd, Lew Temple". JoBlo.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Lang, Brent (June 29, 2022). "Quiver Distribution Buys SXSW Horror Favorite 'Bitch Ass' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Squires, John (June 29, 2022). "MOVIESSXSW Slasher Movie 'Bitch Ass' Starring Tony Todd Sets Halloween Release". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ "Bitch Ass". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ Aguilar, Carlos (March 15, 2022). "'Bitch Ass' Review: The Black Slasher Canon Gets an Amusingly Gruesome New Entry". IndieWire. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (March 20, 2022). "SXSW Quick Cut Reviews: 'Aftershock,' 'Woman On The Outside,' 'Slash/Back,' And 'Bitch Ass'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ Allen, Nick (March 16, 2022). "SXSW 2022: Chee$e, Hypochondriac, Bitch Ass". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ Navarro, Meagan (March 14, 2022). "'Bitch Ass' SXSW Review – New Masked Killer Creatively Plays With the Slasher Formula". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ McAndrews, Mary Beth (May 3, 2022). "'Bitch Ass' Gives Horror An Iconic New Villain [Panic Fest Review 2022]". Dread Central. Retrieved May 6, 2022.