The Babysitter: Killer Queen Scene That Makes Us Love Robbie Amell Even More
This content was paid for by Netflix and created by Looper.
In the 2017 comedy-horror film The Babysitter, twelve-year-old Cole Johnson (Judah Lewis) has just witnessed his babysitter ("Bee," played by Samara Weaving) and her friends brutally kill a young man while performing a satanic ritual in his very own living room. Terrified by the unholy sight, he runs upstairs and calls the cops, but with the footsteps of the cultists making their way up to his room, he jumps in bed and pretends to sleep. It turns out Bee needs his pure virgin blood to complete her demonic task, and to do that in a humane way — she has fond feelings for the little guy — it's best to make sure he's out cold. Unfortunately, her earlier attempt to drug Cole backfired, leaving him well aware of the syringe extracting his blood while he plays possum. After the cultists leave his room, Cole's cover is blown when he mistakenly thinks the coast is clear, and he passes out due to blood loss as Bee walks in on him mid-escape.
Moments later, he regains consciousness. As his blurred vision wears off, he sees five bodies standing before him, but one in particular commands his attention. "Why is he shirtless?" says Cole as he gazes upon Max — the cocky, handsome jock of the cult, who for reasons not entirely explained, is bare-chested throughout entire movie. "I mean, how can you even ask that, just look at him," says sassy cult member Allison (Bella Thorne). "I still don't get it," says Cole. And there begins the long-running gag that follows Max into the sequel, The Babysitter: Killer Queen.
Now, the bloodthirsty jock you love to hate is back, and Max is once again portrayed by Toronto-born actor Robbie Amell, who you might recognize from Netflix's 2019 sci-fi action flick Code 8 or Amazon Prime's sci-fi comedy series Upload. Other notable mentions on his resume include appearances as Agent Miller in the 2016 revival of The X-Files and a recurring stint as Ronnie Raymond (a.k.a. Firestorm) in the CW's The Flash.
In The Babysitter: Killer Queen, it's been two years since Cole successfully fought off the satanic cult led by Bee. He's trying to survive high school while coping with memories of the traumatic events in his life that he thinks have come to an end. But with mystical powers and blood rituals existing in this universe, you know his assailants won't stay gone for long, right? During Cole's weekend getaway to a lake house with his friends, the cult reappears to complete their task from the first film. It's not long before Max makes his entrance — still shirtless, natch — and Amell once again proves he's a scene-stealer, especially during a lengthy chase sequence when he gets to go full-on American Psycho and put his physical comedy (and axe) chops to use.
It's his budding star quality and uncanny resemblance to Tom Cruise
But first, let's get the most obvious thing out of the way. It seems that Hell not only has a kitchen, but it also has a gym, and Max has been hitting it hard since we last saw him. Sometimes an actor's visual appeal makes a striking first impression before they ever utter a single word of dialogue, and that's the case with Amell. There's no denying that he has a distractingly sculpted physique, likely due to his preparation for this very role, so it's no surprise that Men's Health recently tapped him to share his home workout secrets. Whether you're admiring Amell's apparent discipline, or he's suddenly inspiring you to take on a new fitness regimen (much like Cole in the first movie), you can't help but hone in on Max whenever he's onscreen, even during a full ensemble scene.
It seems the filmmakers are highly aware of this and have fun fetishizing the character, so it's no wonder Max's upper body exhibitionism is a long-running joke throughout The Babysitter: Killer Queen — and Amell is clearly having a blast with it. Whether it's Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, or Tom Cruise, numerous actors started out as heartthrobs and eventually grew into serious, well-respected performers. Moviegoers love an actor who's pleasing to the eye, and Amell has that similar charm and radiant star quality that fits the bill. He could very well follow a similar career path.
Speaking of Tom Cruise, with a strikingly similar facial profile, Amell is a dead ringer for the Hollywood giant. One could easily imagine him screaming "Show me the money!" or sporting a button-down shirt, tighty-whities, and a candlestick while gliding down an entryway and rocking out to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." Or just take a look at him during any scene in Code 8 — he could easily pass as a twin for Ethan Hunt in the next Mission: Impossible movie.
It's how he seems to channel Patrick Bateman from American Psycho
While his eye-candy appeal in The Babysitter: Killer Queen will certainly be reason enough for some to love Robbie Amell even more by the time the end credits roll, his maniacal physical performance in the movie is when he shines most. Max is one of those demented characters who wants you to want him, but he also wants you to flee in terror. Thankfully, Amell has the ability to be physically appealing as well as intimidating and imposing when the script calls for it, and he gets to display that in one particularly unhinged moment. In our favorite scene, a freshly escaped Cole and his new gal pal Phoebe (Jenna Ortega) are being pursued by Max and his fellow cultists. They still require Cole's pure virgin blood to complete their ritual. After a daring escape across a lake on a jet ski, Cole and Phoebe reach a dark and desolate shore and narrowly escape a confrontation with Allison, when suddenly an axe-wielding Max emerges from behind a boulder.
With Max swinging like a raging madman, Cole dodges as best he can until he's cornered. That's when Phoebe goes in for a lucky strike and bashes the distracted Max on the back of the head with a gun. It's here we get to witness the ferocious intensity of Amell's performance. He delivers a menacing glare as if he's suddenly channeling Christian Bale's performance as Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. But within moments, after he's kicked in the groin, he instantly transforms back into his cocky meathead persona and spouts a comedic one-liner that calls back to the first film. This is a comedy-horror film, after all, and it's a delight to watch Amell toggle between sociopathic killer and narcissistic frat boy.
It's his convincing facial expressions during scenes with no dialogue
As Cole and Phoebe further dash down the shoreline, they make it to a dock and attempt to steal a boat, only to be greeted by its disgruntled owner. As they beg for help and try to warn him about the looming threat, Max creeps up behind the man and plunges a knife through his heart with a cunning smile. We then cut to a rather amusing flashback titled "Max Just Wants to Kill People" — the only scene in both Babysitter movies that gives us a glimpse into the lunatic's past. In the scene, he's at work as a fast food clerk, and lo and behold, he's devoid of a shirt — his name tag is somehow stuck to his left pectoral. Visibly irate, he's being berated by a female customer over some poorly cooked french fries. Max clearly isn't having it and Amell's petulant expression in this scene is everything. You can practically feel his blood boiling as he grips a nearby bubbling oil fryer. There are no one-liners here, but Amell's piercing expression alone speaks volumes.
As we cut back to the dock scene, Max is creeping his way toward the boat, taunting Cole and Phoebe while gleefully waving his bloody knife — and to draw comparisons to Patrick Bateman once again, he's talking about his love for a particular 1980s Tommy Tutone song that ultimately gives Cole a clue to the boat's security code. Of course, Cole and Phoebe can't catch a break. As the boat speeds off, the relentless Max leaps for an inner tube that's conveniently hitched to the rear and Phoebe turns to see they have a water-tubing madman in tow. Cole tries to maneuver Max through the thrashing waves, but it's no use. He's clinging to the rope and pulling forward, inching closer and closer to them. Of course, Max even finds a moment to flex in a godlike pose as he verbally taunts Cole and Phoebe from the inner tube. What happens next? You'll just have to see. But one thing's for certain, you're left wanting to see more of Max. In fact, if any of the villains in The Babysitter franchise deserves a spinoff, it's him. Director McG, if you're reading this, please make that happen.
The character of Max might not be as layered as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, but it would be interesting to see where Amell could take the role if they ever chose to further explore the deranged jock's psyche and homicidal tendencies. He's born to be in comedy-horror movies, and fans of the series are only going to love the actor even more after his memorable second outing as Max. The flashback scene alone is a tasty little morsel that leaves you wanting more time with the character — largely thanks to this magnetic performance. It only makes us love Robbie Amell even more.