After “You’re Next,” “Satanic Panic,” “Ready or Not” and a RON sequel, we get the next movie in the Woman Surviving Evil Rich People Cinematic Universe.
In “They Will Kill You,” Zazie Beetz stars as Asia Reaves, a woman who gets a job as a maid in a New York high rise building after a 10-year prison sentence. Her stint behind bars was because of an incident involving her attacking her abusive father to protect her younger sister.
Now out of jail, Asia is looking to get her life together with her new job. She’s also looking to reconnect with her sister who she hasn’t seen in years, and is committed to using this opportunity to find her. However, she soon learns that the owners of the building have ulterior motives, namely sacrificing their new maid to Satan to keep their immortality.
Hey, who ordered this large serving of Tarantino-inspired cinema? I pose the question because this film, from its quick cuts to sudden zooms, and even blood fountains when a limb is severed, seem right out of the director’s playbook. The good news is it actually works quite well.
“They Will Kill You” is a fast-paced, stylish action flick that pulls no punches. A viewer learns that early on in a great first set piece that starts off a never-ending joy-ride of combat and carnage. Probably 80 percent of the scenes after the initial skirmish is full of action, with the protagonist taking on every baddie in the building. And it’s a blast.
It’s a film that revels with satisfaction in its bloodshed, proving it’s point by spilling a lot of it in spectacular ways, from close-range shotgun blasts to a flaming ax being swung. It’s not just that the film is a bloody mess with its entertainment, it’s how it’s shot.
Director Kirill Sokolov, cinematographer Isaac Bauman and the rest of the crew did outstanding work in keeping the camera moving with the action, capturing every punch, stab and slash. This is true even when the characters are in a crawl space by giving the audience a full view of the areas in-between walls and floors.
While the action is certainly reminiscent of a Tarantino flick, the same can’t really be said about the writing. There isn’t a great amount of cleverness or thought-provocation with what’s at play here. Plus, as previously mentioned, this isn’t a particularly original idea as the concept of a woman facing deadly foes who are uber rich isn’t entirely original.
Hell, we just had “Ready or Not 2” come out in theaters. To be fair, though, while it’s not an entirely new premise, the film does at least set itself apart enough with a few unique aspects. Plus, the emotional core of the film, Asia’s care for her sister, offers a viewer enough of an investment beyond the fights.
Beetz is also an absolute star in this flick. She’s mainly been featured in side roles for a great deal of her career, such as in “Deadpool 2.” However, she takes center stage in this picture and totally rocks. She’s fierce on screen, with her character having a raging fire burning inside her. That fire is fueled by a drive to protect her sister, and Beetz brings that out for a good hero.
While not entirely a new premise, “They Will Kill You” makes the most out of its concept. The film goes hard with its fight-filled set pieces and sequences of battle. It doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to give audiences a good time. All in all, it’s an enjoyable movie to check out. 3.85 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 