By George & Josh Bate
Within the span of one week in 2026, two horror-tinged action movies about a young woman hunted down by a group of wealthy Satanic cultists in a confined location while trying to protect her sister hit theaters after premiering at SXSW 2026. The proximity of the two uncannily similar releases inevitably invite comparison, which suggests that They Will Kill You thrives as a more stylized, inventive, and atmospheric thrill ride than Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.
From director and co-writer Kirill Sokolov, They Will Kill You follows Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz), a woman who recently got out of prison after shooting her abusive father and abandoning her little sister Maria. Asia accepts a job at The Virgil, a luxurious high-rise in Manhattan, in an effort to reunite with Maria, who is rumored to be employed by the mysterious establishment. Much to her surprise, Asia soon finds herself the target of The Virgil’s building manager Lilith (Patrica Arquette) and its host of wealthy occupants as the building is home to a Satanic cult that achieves immortality through human sacrifice.
Blending Kill Bill, Evil Dead, and Ready or Not, They Will Kill You borrows from numerous other films in both style and narrative. Sokolov heavily leans into Quentin Tarantino’s work on Kill Bill by populating his film with over-the-top, artistic violence, pointed use of licensed music, and similar camera movements. The influence of Sam Raimi, in particular his work on the Evil Dead movies, evidences itself as the film features all manner of comedically gnarly gore and violence. This influence is perhaps best encapsulated by several scenes which feature a detached, self-governing eyeball, seemingly achieved with practical effects, following our protagonist around the establishment. Then of course there’s Ready or Not, Radio Silence’s duo of movies that, as mentioned, mirror the plot and setting of Sokolov’s film with unusual precision.
With these three films serving as critical points of inspiration for They Will Kill You, the film consistently feels like an amalgamation of movies that have come before it, and yet its style, tone, and bad ass lead character make for an undeniably entertaining watch nonetheless.
Beyond action sequences, Sokolov’s film is steeped in an atmospheric gothic aesthetic, aided largely by extraordinary production design from Jeremy Reed to bring The Virgil to life. Restricting its narrative to this gothic and slightly otherworldly building gives They Will Kill You a unique visual backdrop for all the insane violence to unfold before.
It’s through its hyper-stylized approach to action and violence that They Will Kill You proves most enthralling. Sokolov employs long takes and, in a manner similar to John Wick movies, sets the camera back to allow the choreography of his performers to shine. The violence that Zazie Beetz’ protagonist inflicts on the Satanists soaks the screen (and its characters) with gallons of blood but never in a realistic or disturbing manner. Instead, Sokolov approaches violence with a morbid humor, not unlike Raimi or Tarantino. Heads are chopped and comical amounts of blood spurt out in over-the-top fashion, a character wielding an axe on fire sends others flying across the room when they are hit, and limbs detach here, there, and everywhere. What results is a film filled to the brim with expertly choreographed action that you can’t help but chuckle at given how extreme and heightened it is.
Despite having a runtime a little over 90 minutes, however, They Will Kill You loses some steam around the halfway mark. It doesn’t take long after Beetz’s Asia Reaves becomes the target of wealthy Satanists that the film falls into a rather repetitive structure and spends too much time meandering between action set-pieces. The film certainly picks up with a bonkers finale that really swings for the fences (and even features the great James Remar in a cool cameo), but a sharper edit beforehand would’ve engendered a movie that flowed better and stuttered less.
Even as the film drags with stammered pacing, Zazie Beetz makes for an enduringly compelling and supremely bad ass protagonist. The Deadpool 2 star really throws herself into a role that requires her to headline complex action set-pieces, be soaked in tons of blood and guts, and prove a formidable enemy to anyone she comes across. Beetz isn’t afforded too much dramatic work to do, despite what the prologue promises, but she nails the role of a determined woman willing to resort to the most extreme violence to get what she wants.
What she wants is her sister Maria, the adult version of whom is played by Industry star Myha’la. Although positioned as the emotional core of the film and the driving force behind all the insane actions of Beetz’s Asia Reeves, however, the sisterhood angle offers little in the way of emotional weight to a film that never effectively tugs on the heartstrings. Obviously, to be emotionally moved is not what audiences coming to see a movie like this expect. And yet there are plenty of bonkers action movies like this that couple their violence with an effective emotional hook. They Will Kill Us is not one of those.
Beyond Beetz, the supporting cast of the film leaves a bit to be desired. The performance of Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette, who plays the superintendent of the Virgil and the leader of the Satanic Cult, is dragged down by an awkward Irish accent and devoid of the nuanced intimidation Arquette achieved so resoundingly in Severance. Heather Graham, meanwhile, goes woefully underused as a member of the Satanic Cult that frequently enters, exits, and then reenters the film. Then there’s Draco Malfoy himself Tom Felton, who is responsible for some decent laughs in the film and certainly delivers a performance that matches the tone Sokolov strives for, also isn’t afforded the more substantial role he deserves. Collectively, stumbles with Arquette, Graham, and Felton’s characters indicate the need for a more interesting collective of antagonists that mirror the unhinged nature of the film they’re a part of.
VERDICT: 7/10
They Will Kill You borrows heavily from Kill Bill, Evil Dead, and, especially, Ready or Not to deliver a hyper-stylized, horror-tinged action comedy that makes up for its lack of novelty through sheer entertainment value. With a beautifully gothic and almost Wes Anderson-like Manhattan high-rise as its sole setting, director and co-writer Kirill Sokolov’s film flourishes with a story that allows Zazie Beetz’s bad ass protagonist kick all manner of ass in the most insane and comically gnarly ways. The action sequences are actualized by meticulous fight choreography and a level of Tarantino and Raimi-inspired extreme violence one can’t help but chuckle at. Sokolov’s style continues to evidence itself through interesting shot composition and camera movements, although the film falls into a rather repetitive structure around the halfway mark and stumbles with stuttered pacing. Attempts to land an emotional hook through the sisterhood between Zazie Beetz and Myha’la fail to tug on the heartstrings and the impressive supporting cast is underserved by the material they’re provided before the film converges on a bonkers finale, particularly admirable for a major studio release. They Will Kill You arrives at an unfortunate time in theaters given its proximity to the uncannily similar Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. But Sokolov’s film, unlike the sequel masterminded by Radio Silence, possesses such style and exists in such pulpy, heightened tonal territory that there is a clear winner between the two movies whose proximity inevitably invites comparison. While not the most original of films, They Will Kill You triumphs as a hyper-stylized and hyper-violent thrill ride destined to enthuse moviegoers.