“How many of you are there?” questions an out of breath Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) after disposing of a seemingly endless hoard of weapon carrying masked individuals. The identity of these foes does not really matter in Kirill Sokolov’s gleefully violent action-comedy horror hybrid They Will Kill You, they are simply the embodiment of the horrors of wealth.
A drug so addictive that people are willing to make a literal deal with the devil, and sacrifice others in the process, money and power is truly the root of all evil in the film.
The quest to maintain power or merely be closely associated with those who have it, is a recurring motif that Sokolov draws on. Unfortunately, the director shows no interest in exploring this with any meaningful depth. Whether observing those who convince themselves that they are the “good ones,” while luring the poor to their death, or pondering on the paths that the cycle of abuse lead some down, it is all treated as nothing more than a vehicle to move from one eye-catching set piece to another.
Unfortunately, the wobbly wheels of this rickety car fall off long before the film reaches it climatic destination. Which is a shame considering it introduces audience to one truly badass cinematic heroine in Asia Reaves.
After abandoning her sister Maria (Myha’la) a decade ago, when their attempts to flee their abusive father goes wrong, Asia is determined to find her estranged sibling. Recently released from prison, Asia arrives at “The Virgil,” the place her sister was last seen, an exclusive Manhattan high-rise building. 100 years old, the building has gained a reputation on the streets as a place where poorer workers, especially minorities and immigrants, go missing.
Posing as a new maid, Asia is greeted at the door by Lilith Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette), the building manager who, along with her husband Ray (Paterson Joseph), has been tending to the establishment for decades. A place that takes security as seriously as its exclusivity, The Virgil features a wealthy clientele of residents, including Sharon (Heather Graham), Kevin (Tom Felton), Bob (Willie Ludik), etc., who are referred to as “The Family.”
The nature of most of their wealth remains a mystery for a large portion of the film, but throw away lines of dialogue point to some being beauty moguls, authors, etc.
What Asia doesn’t know is that The Virgil is not an ordinary high-rise, its inhabitants are part of a Satanic Cult who trade human sacrifice for immortality…and they plan to make Asia is their latest offering. However, what The Family will soon realize is Asia is no ordinary woman. Armed with a machete and a mini shotgun in her suitcase, she will stop at nothing until she finds out what happened to her sister.
The latest in a growing list of films (e.g. The Menu, Ready or Not, Saltburn, Knives Out franchise, etc.) that celebrate eating the rich, They Will Kill You serves a stylishly plated dish of vengeance that ultimately lacks any biting flavour.
Sokolov’s film clearly wants to be known for its showstopping fight sequences and, complete with plenty of zooms, quick edits, and dark humour, but that is not enough to sustain the surprising swift running time. While audiences take some level of enjoyment in seeing Asia administer her special brand of justice, the stakes never feel as weighty as they should.
As electric as Zazie Beetz is in the role of Asia, carrying a natural charisma ripe for action film stardom, They Will Kill You always feels like an amalgamation of its inspirations rather than its own unique vision.
Watching Asia preparing to pounce on her attackers with a bloody machete, one instantly thinks of Uma Thurman’s Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo in Kill Bill. Similar to Tarantino’s action opus, They Will Kill You has several callbacks to 70’s actions film, especially the works of the Shaw Brothers. While those are the obvious comparisons, Sokolov’s mash-up of genres actually feels more akin to the works of legendary Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, with a healthy dash of Sam Raimi, Stephen Chow, and Tim Burton sprinkled in for good measure.
The audience spends so much time thinking about the various influences that Sokolov is pulling from that the directors own distinct voice gets muffled by the copious amounts of blood being shed.
After a while the slicing and dicing, and eyeball gags, loses its cool factor and the flaws become more glaring. They Will Kill You is never as daring as it wants you to believe. The Virgil may be a place of sin, with each floor tailored to a different vice, take the sex floor for example, but Sokolov’s film is surprisingly tame. Only focusing on two specific floors, which could be from any movie, the film doesn’t even have the courage to go full The Raid and explore its demonic location.
Lacking the depth to make the thrills truly invigorating, They Will Kill You’s shallow blade can’t cut the vines of cinematic influences it gets tangled in.
