‘They Will Kill You’ review

It's interesting that They Will Kill You was shown in the same week Ready or Not 2: Here I Come hit cinemas.

It's a battle of the survival horror comedies. And, at first glance, it seems like the latter has the upper hand given that it's a franchise that's already proven itself. But after having seen both movies, it's quite surprising to realize that Kirill Sokolov's latest feature is the funnier, campier, and more rousing flick.

The movie revolves around a young woman who starts her first day at work (and as it would turn out, her last day at work as well) at an old, exclusive New York City high-rise called the Virgil. It's considered a landmark and, most likely, not easily accessible to anyone. It's facade betrays the eccentricity and exclusivity, with intricate sculptured designs on its walls and doorframes. It's foreboding, actually, especially with close-ups on weird, devilish figures.

A drenched Asia Reeves, played impressively by Zazie Beetz, stands outside the Virgil, waiting for someone to open the doors of the hotel. Once the door has been bolted multiple times by the main caretaker, Lilith (Patricia Arquette), she is introduced to some of the hotel's mainstays and staff.  As soon as she settles in her room—which is surprisingly large for a maid’s quarter—her nightmares begin.

Once you get past the weak opening, They Will Kill You shows great potential once the Virgil scenes begin. The scene where Asia is trying to sleep gives way to one of the only terrifyingly scary moment in the movie. It involves Asia looking into a wall grille; a clever shot that will give you the creeps. 

And, yes, you read that right: it's the only scary scene in the movie. One that will literally make your skin crawl. The rest is just a bloody, unrelenting gorefest action. But that isn't a bad thing. The movie's been marketed as a horror-action-comedy and most of the horror is put into the backstory (pretty much like in Ready or Not). The rest is pure amusement. Sokolov and co-writer Alex Litvak were able to write and flesh out the battle scenes in a stylized manner (thanks mostly to Isaac Bauman's camerawork and Jeremy Reed's production design) that holds the audience's attention.

You've got to hand it to Beetz, who is a formidable force onscreen. Her physicality is a major reason why eyes are glued to the screen. She wields her weapons the way the Slayer carries her scythe. And even when things get a bit silly, she manages to not look like it—a good trait to keep certain moments from feeling hokey. 

And yes, there will be moments where it feels the campiness goes beyond what you'd expect. One scene that involves a traveling eye ball is an example.

There's something about the way Sokolov frames and composes shots that makes scenes absorbing.

It's great that the supporting cast weren't afraid to get down and dirty. Heather Graham and Tom Felton were all in; they had hilarious moments. Patricia Arquette was also a commanding presence. She was not afraid to look silly. Their commitment prevented scenes from coming off as ludicrous.

But while these things are fun to watch, there's one element that fell short. It's something that could have been easily dismissed had it not been for the movie's marketing. The movie outfit once described the Virgil as inspired by Dante Alighieri's Inferno, with each floor representational of each level of hell. The movie didn't show us what each floor was like. 

Most of the action happened on the first level (and some in the tunnel) and then a very brief look into the second level. The rest was most brushed off. Would have been nice if we got to see more of those levels. 

Ultimately, the experience was worth the 95-minute run time. Even though the emotional anchor wasn't fully explored, there was enough exposition about Asia's motivations to give audiences a sense of satisfaction once the movie gets to curtain call.

It wouldn't be surprising if, a couple of years from now, we see a They Will Kill You sequel.