THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026)

They Will Kill You plays out like a John Wick film, if the franchise had been directed by Quentin Tarantino. Violent, funny, and utterly bonkers, this might be the zaniest horror film of the year. Proudly eccentric and bloodthirsty, these 95 minutes aren’t smart, nor are they doing anything we haven’t seen before, but they’re certainly entertaining.

The film predominantly takes place in The Virgil, an imposing Art Deco high-rise in New York. Ex-convict Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) arrives on a rainy night at this exclusive building, having just taken up a role as a housekeeper. But Asia isn’t here to work; she’s looking for her sister Maria (Myha’la) after they were separated as girls.

What Asia doesn’t know is that the mysterious building isn’t just home to wealthy inhabitants—it’s actually a temple to Satan. Soon, the new housekeeper is fighting for her life as cult members aim to make her this month’s human sacrifice. But you can’t leave The Virgil the way you came in; the apartment complex is a 12-storey death trap that’s almost impossible to escape. Luckily, Asia is equipped with the skills she needs to fight off this angry mob of Satan worshippers.

Asia is a certified badass and already feels like a horror icon, having grown tough through years of protecting her younger sister from their abusive father and serving almost a decade in gaol. She soon works out that the elite (played by Patricia Arquette, Heather Graham, and Tom Felton) are hunting her down. She’s more than prepared to handle these clueless rich people, being a dab hand with guns, knives, and her fists. But they aren’t just hunting the woman for sport; they have a very specific reason for needing Asia dead, which means nothing will stop them.

They Will Kill You gets straight into the action, never pretending to be anything more than it is. Writer-director Kirill Sokolov (Why Don’t You Just Die!) and co-writer Alex Litvak get proceedings moving immediately, wasting no time on exposition or character introductions. After a brief flashback to Asia and her sister’s violent childhood, the film wastes no time letting you know the housekeeper is in danger, and that The Virgil is more than just a block for the wealthy. Don’t expect cerebral twists or red herrings here; there’s clearly something ominous about the building from the moment Patricia Arquette’s character opens the door and begins speaking in one of the worst Irish accents put to cinema in quite some time.

The plot is threadbare and knowingly so. The writing doesn’t try to weigh down proceedings with explanation, knowing full well the audience is there to see Zazie Beetz fight her way out of a multi-storey apartment as if she were in Gareth Evans’ The Raid (2011). The film wouldn’t be half as enjoyable without Beetz’s performance. The actress is physically agile and believably strong, so you buy that she could take on a whole mob of angry, rich Satanists. She’s in almost every shot, the camera zooming in on her snarling face and showing the axe-wielding fights in their uncut glory. Beetz spent four months training for the film, and it shows; the star seemingly performs much of the stunt work herself.

It’s not just Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2) who’s having a ball. Tom Felton returns to his sneering Draco Malfoy roots and is clearly having fun. Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) also enjoys herself as a vain skincare CEO. With no backstory or emotional nuance required, the cast can concentrate on chewing the scenery and delivering comedy with a sharp tongue. Paterson Joseph (Peep Show) also appears as the “straight man” trying to help Asia out—a nice change from some of his better-known comedy characters. You’ll buy the zany comedy because everyone on screen knows exactly what kind of film they’re in.

While the setup shares similarities with Ready or Not (2019)—a woman being preyed upon for a satanic ritual—what makes They Will Kill You stand out is the work behind the camera. The fight choreography and use of slow motion will earn comparisons to manga and Tarantino movies. There are many extended fight scenes throughout the 95 minutes, but thanks to highly stylised direction and Sokolov’s wide-angle shots, they never outstay their welcome.

At a thankfully pacey 95 minutes, They Will Kill You just about avoids becoming repetitive. Without spoiling the plot, these hunters aren’t easy to kill, which means Asia gets stuck in a Groundhog Day (1993)-esque cycle of hallway battles. The stylisation stops them from becoming boring, but the film could have benefited from one less fight and a little more backstory. There is certainly more to explore regarding The Virgil and its inhabitants; in fact, a wealth of lore is dangled over the audience like a carrot. However, the film is more concerned with the “here and now” than with explanations.

They Will Kill You doesn’t take itself too seriously; it’s proudly ridiculous and campy in its gore. The mix of digital and practical, Sam Raimi-style effects is seamless and lends an authenticity to the carnage. And boy, there is a lot of gore. Heads are spliced, eyeballs roll through tunnels, and people explode. It’s knowingly silly and entirely in on the joke, yet the campy visuals never cheapen the film.

It’s not just horror tropes at play; there are numerous nods to Spaghetti Westerns and Samurai films. Carlos Rafael Rivera’s soundtrack pays homage to Sergio Leone’s work, while the black hoods, samurai swords, and slow-motion fights seem closer to Asian cinema than your standard American action-horror. The blend of these genres creates something refreshingly distinct.

If you’re looking for smart, “eat-the-rich” satire, They Will Kill You is not for you. It has no intention of making a political or socioeconomic point; it just wants good old-fashioned, machete-wielding fun. You could argue it’s style over substance, but it’s fully aware of that. Sometimes, we all need to sit back, switch off, and watch a badass woman use a sword against Tom Felton.

USA • SOUTH AFRICA | 2026 | 94 MINUTES | 2.20:1 COLOUR | ENGLISH

Cast & Crew

director: Kirill Sokolov.
writers: Kirill Sokolov & Alex Litvak.
starring: Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham & Patricia Arquette.