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Review: ‘They Will Kill You’ is a Crowd-Pleasing Mash-Up that Blends Satanic Thriller and Slapstick Horror with ‘Kill Bill’-esque Action
March 27, 2026Ben MK
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Whether it's flesh-craving zombies, malevolent poltergeists, or homicidal maniacs, the horror genre has seen its fair share of just about every type of twisted tale. And for every such story, you can bet that there have been at least a few filmmakers who have taken a crack at carving their own path through what should already be a familiar territory for moviegoers. The satanic thriller and slasher horror sub-genres, in particular, have proven to be especially fertile grounds for writers and directors with an inclination for terrifying audiences. But with They Will Kill You, director Kirill Sokolov is proving that satanic slasher storylines can still be as entertaining as any other tale, especially when mashed up with the frenetically paced and stylized action of the Kill Bill films. The setting is present-day New York City, and Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) has arrived at the heavily secured front door of Manhattan's infamous Virgil hotel with one mission — to rescue her younger sister, Maria (Myha'la). It was ten years ago that Asia and Maria were separated, on the fateful night that Asia shot their abusive father in an unsuccessful attempt to escape his violent grip. Unfortunately for these sisters, that bold action not only landed Asia in prison for the majority of the last decade, it also landed Maria back in the custody of their dad, where she endured years more of abuse before finally getting hired as one of the maids at the Virgil. What might have been heaven-sent turned out to be quite the opposite, however, for the Virgil is more than just an ordinary hotel — it's a temple to Satan. And when Asia gets wind of the imminent danger that Maria is in, she does what any big sister would do — she finds a way to get out of prison and make her way to the Virgil, where she impersonate the hotel's newest hire in order to fool its manager, Lily Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette). Now, having been welcomed inside the Virgil's century-old walls under the guise of legitimate employment, Asia is ready to go looking for trouble. What she doesn't expect, though, is for trouble to find her first. For when she's selected to be the Virgil's next monthly human sacrifice, she'll have to fight her way through its roster of Devil-worshipping acolytes if she's to have any hope of finding Maria. It's a challenge that she'll get some surprising help with, thanks to Lily's handyman husband, Ray (Patterson Joseph), a man who knows all too well the deep, dark secrets hidden away within the building's secret rooms and passageways. But can she and Ray really take on the opposition that Lily is adamant at throwing their way? After all, selling one's soul to Satan has its benefits. And when Asia discovers that one of those benefits happens to be immortality — and that no matter how hard she tries to slash, bludgeon and blow up her assailants, they just keep regenerating and coming back for more — she quickly comes to the realization that it's going to be one hell of a long night. Written by Sokolov and Alex Litvak, the result is a blood-splattered, Tarantino-esque romp that doesn't just wear its influences on its sleeve, it has it tattooed all over its arms. But whether They Will Kill You is drawing inspiration for its lightning-fast action sequences from the likes of Oldboy and The Raid, or whether it's taking a page out of the slapstick horror handbooks of Evil Dead II and Dead Alive, one thing's for certain — viewers won't be bored for a minute. Make no mistake, Sokolov and Litvak's specific brand of satanic horror isn't nearly as sinister as that of such frequently referenced genre classics as Suspiria or The Wicker Man. What the movie lacks in genuine terror, however, it more than makes up for with its furious pacing and schlock value, a crowd-pleasing combination that's guaranteed to earn the film a strong cult following in the years to come. Either way, moviegoers won't be disappointed. For even though They Will Kill You doesn't feel entirely original, it's still one of the most relentlessly entertaining, completely off-the-wall and totally in-your-face movies you'll probably see all year. Suffice to say, it all makes for a refreshing change of pace, especially considering the current trends in the box office landscape. After all, big studio blockbusters are, quite frankly, a dime a dozen; but you practically have to sell your soul for a decent action-horror-comedy these days. They Will Kill You releases March 27th, 2026 from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of R for strong bloody violence, gore, language and brief sexual content/nudity. Its runtime is 1 hr. 34 min. |
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