They Will Kill You Review: Stylish Gorefest Proves The Familiar Can Still Be Fun

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It’s hard to avoid noticing that Ready or Not 2: Here I Come – the sequel to a movie with a very similar premise – just hit theaters. That could have been a recipe for disaster, but writer-director Kirill Sokolov cleverly embraces it. He acknowledges the challenge of getting audiences to care about another familiar story, and argues that it’s not what happens, but how it happens that truly matters. Yes, the basic plot feels familiar, but have you ever seen it executed quite like this?

What I really appreciate about this movie is that it doesn’t always give you what you expect. They Will Kill You feels driven by a real need to constantly surprise and entertain, and you can practically feel the director, Sokolov, trying to create those moments. It reminds me of something between Tarantino and Raimi, but it doesn’t quite reach their level of polish or comedic timing. Still, it’s a really good time! Zazie Beetz is perfectly cast as the tough, cool lead, and there’s tons of over-the-top, stylish violence that had everyone in the theater laughing.

Zazie Beetz Gives A True Movie Star Performance In They Will Kill You

The film They Will Kill You starts with a major error in judgment. Asia Reaves (Beetz) is fleeing with her younger sister, Maria, after escaping their father’s abuse. When he tracks them down, Asia shoots him, and then, fearing the police, she runs away, leaving Maria behind. However, their father doesn’t die. Asia is sent to prison, and Maria is once again held captive. This mistake weighs heavily on Asia throughout the ten challenging years she spends incarcerated.

Okay, so the film jumps ahead to present day, and we meet Asia as she starts working as a maid at this super fancy New York apartment building, The Virgil. She’s actually there looking for someone from her past, a woman named Maria. But things quickly get weird. This isn’t just any luxury building; it’s a front for a Satanic cult! The residents are incredibly wealthy and, as I soon discovered, they have a horrifying ritual: they bring in outsiders – like Asia – and… well, let’s just say they don’t offer them tea and cookies. The creepiest part? They wait until she’s asleep to come for her, and it’s a brutal, shocking attack. Honestly, I was not prepared for how dark this got.

The cultists were also surprised by her. While Asia plays the lead in this horror film, she isn’t a typical ‘final girl.’ She’s more like Django from Django Unchained – a captivating movie star presence that’s too powerful for the usual horror movie rules. She isn’t just someone who survives; she’s an ‘avenger’ who actively fights back and punishes those who harm her. In several scenes, notably the first attack, a group of masked villains realize they’re not the ones doing the hunting – they’re the targets.

Beetz effortlessly commands the screen and fully embodies her character. The film shines when it focuses on her performance and physical presence. The action sequences are cleverly designed and filmed with a dynamic, animated feel, moving clearly from one scene to the next. Beetz’s captivating performance keeps you completely engaged, and every moment – whether shocking, uplifting, or hilarious – hits its mark perfectly.

The rest of the movie is uneven – some parts work really well, while others don’t. The story is predictable, and the characters spend so much time explaining things that it’s hard to lose sight of that fact. Most of the supporting characters aren’t memorable, except for Paterson Joseph, who manages to make even a minor role compelling. The main villain, Patricia Arquette, has an inconsistent Irish accent that feels forced and ends up being a distraction.

Sokolov’s style is very noticeable, and while that can be impressive when everything works together, it also means mistakes stand out. The music is a mixed bag, and some initially exciting camera work loses its impact. However, just when you start to lose interest, something creative will pull you back in – a unique touch that elevates even ordinary scenes. There’s even a lengthy, funny bit that feels straight out of a Sam Raimi film.

While They Will Kill You doesn’t quite break new ground in the horror genre, it’s still worth watching. In a landscape where many movies play it safe, it’s actually commendable that this film tries to do a lot – even if it doesn’t fully succeed.

They Will Kill You releases in theaters wide on Friday, March 27.

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2026-03-26 18:51