They Will Kill You Review: A Bloody Good Time With Little to Say
Image Courtesy of New Line Cinema
For some reason, 2026 decided to give us two horror films centred on women fighting for their lives against wealthy Satan-worshipping elites. Ready or Not 2 got there first, but They Will Kill You takes a far bloodier, more violent, and more chaotic approach to a surprisingly similar premise.
Directed by Kirill Sokolov and starring Zazie Beetz, the film follows a woman named Asia Reaves as she enters The Virgil, an exclusive New York hotel, in an attempt to rescue her younger sister, Maria. Unfortunately, the building is filled with devil worshippers who have no intention of letting either of them leave alive.
Despite the similarities, They Will Kill You never feels like it is simply copying Ready or Not 2. It is arguably even more entertaining, but it has far less interest in grounding its madness or exploring its ideas with any real depth. Instead, the film embraces pure, mindless chaos and trusts that the bloodshed, humour, and relentless energy will be enough to carry it.
The story begins ten years before the main events, with an intense flashback introducing Asia and her younger sister, Maria. It effectively establishes their fractured relationship and the emotional stakes, but its heavier tone feels slightly out of sync with the fast-paced, anything-goes film that follows. After Asia is arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison, Maria is left feeling as though her sister abandoned her.
A decade later, Asia is finally out and arrives at The Virgil, an exclusive New York hotel, in search of her sister. Unfortunately, its tenants and staff are less interested in helping her than sacrificing her to their master, who just so happens to be Satan.
This is also where another major difference between They Will Kill You and Ready or Not becomes clear: Asia is far from helpless. She is hellbent on rescuing her sister and more than capable of defending herself against anyone who gets in her way.
Image Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Zazie Beetz is a strong lead, while the action, choreography, and sheer level of violence are easily the film’s biggest strengths. The set pieces are energetic, creative, and often ridiculously entertaining, even when the story itself struggles to offer much beyond its basic premise.
They Will Kill You likely worked even better in a packed theatre, where the laughter, cheers, and collective reactions would have elevated the chaos. Outside of that environment, it becomes easier to notice how thin the narrative really is. The film is not especially interested in challenging its audience or leaving them with much to think about once the credits roll, but that is not necessarily what everyone will want from it.
Is it terrible? No, but it is not particularly great either. For viewers looking for extreme violence, ridiculous action, and dark comedy, there is still plenty of fun to be had. Ultimately, They Will Kill You is loud, bloody, and consistently entertaining, but not especially memorable. Zazie Beetz and the film’s relentless energy carry it a long way, even if the story never gives them much to work with.
