‘Tarantino Fans Will Love the Massive Tribute in ‘They Will Kill You’’
They Will Kill You is a gritty revenge thriller from Russian writer-director Kirill Sokolov. The film stars Zazie Beetz as a hardened survivor who fights through a locked Manhattan co-op to rescue her sister.
Plot overview
Asia Reaves is the lead. She survived abuse and a decade in prison. Her mission is to find Maria, her younger sister.
Maria works as a housemaid at the Virgil, an exclusive Upper Manhattan building. The Virgil hides a deadly secret. Its wealthy residents worship the Horned One and demand sacrifices.
Asia gets a job under false pretenses to free Maria. She is armed with a sawed-off shotgun, a sword, and fierce combat skills. The sisters must battle cult members floor by floor to escape the locked complex.
Cast and crew
Zazie Beetz anchors the film. Myha’la Herrold plays Maria. Patricia Arquette portrays the building superintendent.
Other cast members include David Viviers, Tom Felton, Willie Ludik, and Gabe Gabriel. Kirill Sokolov directs. Alex Litvak co-wrote the screenplay.
Style and influences
The movie wears several influences on its sleeve. It echoes Rosemary’s Baby, seventies horror, and grindhouse tropes.
Action sequences nod to John Wick. Kill Bill and Quentin Tarantino’s postmodern flourishes loom large. Tarantino fans will find a massive tribute woven through the film’s visual and musical choices.
Action and performances
Beetz trained for months to perform the demanding fight work. Her action scenes are often jaw-dropping and physically intense.
Arquette battles an affected Irish accent for the role. Myha’la offers quieter strength as the endangered sister. The ensemble supports the relentless set pieces.
Themes and critique
The film mixes class satire with exploitation violence. Non-white staff at the Virgil are shown coerced into rituals for survival.
The homage-heavy approach sometimes feels overly derivative. Still, the movie functions as a showcase for Beetz’s action-star potential.
Who should see it
Fans of visceral revenge films will enjoy the spectacle. Viewers seeking original storytelling may find the film too familiar.
Filmogaz.com considers it a lean, propulsive genre piece that elevates its lead despite its indebtedness to movie history.
