Tags:
Film: They Will Kill You
Year: 2026
Director: Kirill Sokolov
Writer: Kirill Sokolov and Alex Litvak
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette and Myha’la
Review:
This is a film that I learned about via trailers when going to the theater. I watched enough to figure out that this is in genre. Other than that, I stopped watching since I knew I would try to see this. I did catch this opening night at the Gateway Film Center and made this a featured review as a 2026 horror film.
Synopsis: a woman takes a job as a housekeeper in a New York City high-rise, unaware of the building’s history of disappearances. She soon realizes the community is shrouded in mystery.
We start this with two girls. It is raining and they’re looking at a display of mannequins. They go into a convenience store to buy supplies. What we’ll learn is that they’re fleeing their father. The older girl is Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz). Her younger sister is Maria. They think they have a good enough headstart, but they’re wrong. Their father comes in with another man. The girls try to flee but are stopped. Asia ends up shooting their father and tries to run. She is arrested. This lands her in prison for ten years where her sister is returned to their father’s custody.
In the present, Asia comes to the Virgil. She is under the guise of being hired as a new maid. In reality though, she wants to rescue her sister. The place is run by Lily Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette). Asia is introduced to Sharon (Heather Graham) and others who frequent the place. There’s also Lily’s husband who is a maintenance man, Ray (Paterson Joseph).
Asia doesn’t trust what she sees so she puts a chair under her door handle. Before going to bed, she hears something and the lights in the hall go out. There is a hooded figure who disappears before she sees. Soon after is when more of these people come into her room. She’s given an injection but tries to fight off her attacker. This is just the beginning of her nightmare. She learns the truth about the people here and about a pact they’ve all made. It is a fight for survival and finding her sister before she’s the next sacrifice.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’m going to start is by saying that this film doesn’t have the deepest story. It also doesn’t necessarily need it. What this does is set the stage for why Asia is here and then we jump into action. There are moments where you can catch your breath and learn more about the characters to help develop. This though feels like Kill Bill meets Ready or Not. This shouldn’t come as a spoiler as we learn about the latter within the first 15 or so minutes.
Now that I’ve set that up, where I want to start would be with our lead character. What I like about Asia is that she feels guilty. She was too young to take care of Maria. She didn’t have enough money. They were caught and the police came soon. She did what she could. What we’ll learn later is that Maria felt like she was abandoned. In theory, she was but this is just a complicated situation. Maria’s trauma made her into the woman that she is now, played by Myha’la. Asia’s time in prison has prepared her for the fighter that she is as well.
Where I’ll then shift is that this is where it feels inspired by Kill Bill. Asia isn’t a trained assassin, but she was hardened by her years in prison. She more than likely served the full time because she was a fighter. She only slowed when talking to her lawyer, played by Angus Sampson, who reveals where her sister took a job. Asia comes in with weapons, ready to fight as needed. I do like this element as it makes for a fun ride with the action sequences.
I’ll then tread lightly talking about what makes this horror. There’s an early reveal, if you’re paying attention with a window high on the Virgil that made me immediately know there’s a cult here. Then hearing the last name of Lily and Ray, Woodhouse clicked on Rosemary's Baby. It is fitting that the building looks similar to a brownstone. What I’ll then just include is that everyone has made a deal with the devil which gives them a particular gift. It is played for laughs at times. It also raises the stakes which I love. This makes it violent and bloody, which I dug as well.
Other themes include the cost of privilege, tied to the building's gentrified slum origin. The opening quote is: "When the poor give to the rich, the devil laughs." The text also explores the illusion of luxury for the wealthy, atonement, and survivor's guilt. Asia's protective bond is an attempt at atonement, and her already hardened nature subverts the final girl trope at the Virgil.
Let’s then shift gears over to the acting performances. Beetz is great as our lead. She has a good look and her training for the fight scenes was great. This is a ‘one-person army’ style film where she has to overcome insurmountable odds to win. She fits Asia well. I like Myha’la as her sister. Arquette, Joseph, Tom Felton, Graham and the rest of the cast of people that they encounter in this building are great. I love the cameo by Sampson. The acting brings enough quirkiness to the role to add to the comedy while also keeping up the tension of surviving the night.
All that is left then will be the filmmaking aspects. The locked-off setting creates built-in tension, trapping the characters. The film is well-shot, with excellent and interesting fight sequences, which lean into the necessary violence. The practical effects and CGI combination worked, despite minor issues with the latter. I did think it would be a bit bloodier. It is over the top at times which adds levity. The musical selections enhanced the creepy ambiance.
In conclusion, this is a film that I quite enjoyed. It sets up the stakes right away and then lets the viewer ride the wave of violence and dark comedy until the credits roll. They Will Kill You takes familiar concepts—the isolated horror setting, the fight for family, the high-society cult—and mixes them into a kinetic, stylish, and bloody package that feels fresh. If you are looking for a horror film that leans into action and isn't afraid to be over the top, this is one I would recommend seeing.
My Rating: 7 out of 10