They Will Kill You (2026): A Barbaric Ballet in a Satanic High-Rise [Non-Spoiler]
Rating: 3 / 5Review by Rob (A Constantly Racing Mind)
At first glance, They Will Kill You looks like another entry into the "eat the rich" survival horror subgenre. It centers on a young woman trapped in a deadly game with wealthy elites, drawing immediate comparisons to films like Ready or Not.
But director Kirill Sokolov is doing something entirely different here. He isn't just making a high-rise slasher; he has directed a hyper-stylized, live-action anime masquerading as a horror comedy. It is a "barbaric ballet" that blends brutal slasher elements with high-octane martial arts, resulting in a film that is visually spectacular, even if its narrative foundation struggles to hold up the weight of its own style.
The Afro Samurai Influence
The film follows ex-convict Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz), who takes a job as a housekeeper at a historic New York high-rise called The Virgil to rescue her estranged younger sister, Maria (Myha'la). She soon discovers the building is a death trap run by a Satanic cult of the 1%. They mark Asia as their next sacrifice, vastly underestimating the fighting skills she honed in prison.
Sokolov explicitly cited the anime Afro Samurai as his primary inspiration. He wanted to test the absolute limits of unrestricted energy in live-action cinema, and the result is pure stylistic whiplash.
Zazie Beetz as Asia
Inside the classical architecture of The Virgil, the film utilizes a wild fusion of visual styles:
Wes Anderson Symmetry: Tense chase scenes are framed with pristine, dead-center symmetry, creating a bizarrely elegant backdrop for absolute carnage.
Tarantino Pacing: Stylized chapter titles briefly break away from the action to deliver character history before plunging the audience back into the bloodbath.
Park Chan-wook Corridors: The film features massive, continuous sword fights that directly imitate the famous hallway fight from Oldboy.
Raimi Splatstick: The gross-out, absurd humor, and chaotic monster visuals feel pulled straight from Evil Dead II.
Practical Carnage & The 1%
Zazie Beetz is an absolute powerhouse. She spends the majority of this gauntlet fighting completely barefoot, executing fluid, acrobatic movements with intense passion.
What grounds this movie's wild style is the commitment to practical effects. Beetz performed a jaw-dropping sequence fighting off thugs with an axe that is literally on fire. Drenched in flame-retardant gel and wearing a velcro wig she could rip off if things went south, Beetz and the stunt team deliver visceral, heavy-hitting action. Myha'la matches that energy, taking real hits and spending the shoot covered in the horror staple sticky fake blood.
The villains, meanwhile, are having a fantastic time. Patricia Arquette plays the cult leader and building superintendent with a calm, unnerving restraint (and a bizarre Irish brogue). Heather Graham is effervescent as a scene-stealing cultist, and Tom Felton gleefully steps into the role of an elite Satanist. They play the 1% not just as occultists, but as wealthy socialites who genuinely believe their money gives them the right to consume those they deem beneath them.
The Architecture of Hell
Production Designer Jeremy Reed (Gretel & Hansel) is the unsung hero of the film. The Virgil is intentionally designed as a modern interpretation of Dante's Inferno, with each floor dedicated to a specific sin.
The sets carry a liminal, psychological weight. Hallways look like transitional areas meant to be busy, but are eerily quiet. The heavy wood, thick carpet, and warm Art Deco lighting suggest a space that is physically comfortable but psychologically imposing. It doesn't just trap Asia; it guides her through a modern underworld.
The Verdict: A Beautiful Hot Mess
For all of its incredible craft, They Will Kill You ultimately left me feeling a bit cold.
Thematically, the film attempts to root Asia's violent rampage in love and protection for her sister, rather than pure revenge. It is refreshing to see a theatrically released horror film centered entirely on two Black women saving themselves and each other. However, the emotional core simply doesn't connect. The reconciliation between the sisters never feels as genuine or earned as it needs to be to anchor the surrounding chaos.
It suffers from the Sucker Punch effect—it is a beautiful hot mess. The acting, photography, pacing, and Carlos Rafael Rivera's driving score all work brilliantly, but the story never fully resonates.
Rating: 3 / 5
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If you are looking for a visually insane, laugh-out-loud, blood-soaked martial arts slasher, you will have a great time. Just don't expect it to hit you in the heart.
- 🎬 Title: They Will Kill You (2026)
- 🎬 Director: Kirill Sokolov
- ✍️ Writers: Kirill Sokolov, Alex Litvak
- 📷 Cinematographer: Isaac Bauman
- 🎵 Composer: Carlos Rafael Rivera
- 🎭 Starring: Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Myha'la, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, Paterson Joseph
- ⏱️ Run Time: 94 minutes - 1hr 34 min
- 🏷️ MPAA Rating:R
