PETALING JAYA: Every other day, new details emerge about the horrific acts committed by the late Jeffrey Epstein. Witnesses have come forward with sex trafficking claims involving the rich and powerful – and at times, even wild allegations of child sacrifices to the Devil himself.
While talk of Satanic cults and ritual sacrifices may sound far-fetched, the idea of secret societies among the elite – possibly tied to something darker and more sinister – has long fascinated people.
In Russian director Kirill Sokolov’s latest wild offering, “They Will Kill You”, that very idea sits at the heart of the story, making for a thrilling premise that feels eerily timely too.
The 94-minute action horror-comedy stars Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette.
The film plays like the lovechild of “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Kill Bill” and “Ready or Not” – unapologetically gory, wildly bloody, and packed with stylish, high-octane fight sequences that feel straight out of a Guy Ritchie film. Best of all, it gives its protagonist real power and agency – something many of Epstein’s victims were robbed of.
“They Will Kill You” follows Asia Reaves (Beetz), who answers a help-wanted ad at a quiet, old New York hotel called The Virgil.
It seems like an easy way to start over for her but the place gives off strange vibes from the moment she arrives – locked doors, a carving of the devil, and a history no one wants to talk about.
After a brief introduction to the hotel’s unsettling manager, Lilith (Patricia Arquette), Asia barely has time to settle in before she’s ambushed by a group of masked attackers. What follows is a brutal, all-out fight that leaves bodies shattered… or so it seems.
As her attackers begin to pull themselves back together, Asia realises she’s stumbled into something far more dangerous than a shady workplace – a Satanic cult.
But Asia has an agenda of her own when she joins Virgil – to look for her long-lost younger sister. And if she wants to survive the night, she’ll have to uncover what’s really going on before the building – and whatever lives inside it – closes in for good.
As far as the story goes, “They Will Kill You” is a wild, entertaining ride. The over-the-top action and quirky, dark score give many scenes a playful edge, while the hide-and-seek setup – packed with gore and black comedy – is pure fun.
That said, it can start to feel a bit repetitive. The villains are, well, immortal, so the stakes don’t always feel high when they keep respawning like video game characters. Still, there’s a twisted upside: you get to watch the same characters meet increasingly brutal and creative ends.
Even the reveal of the “final boss” – the demonic force behind The Virgil – leans into something cheeky and symbolic. A giant severed pig’s head becomes its mouthpiece, which feels like a not-so-subtle jab at the “pigs” of the real world – the greedy and depraved, caught up in exploitation and abuse.
Zazie Beetz fully owns the role of Asia, proving she can carry an action-heavy film with both grit and charm. She moves with a sharp, almost effortless agility in the fight scenes.
But what really sells the performance is how she switches gears. When pushed, Asia doesn’t hesitate. She becomes raw, relentless, and brutally efficient.
Yet Beetz doesn’t play her as a one-note action hero. There’s a flicker of disbelief, even dark humour, in the way Asia reacts to the madness around her, which makes her feel grounded and human.
Patricia Arquette, meanwhile, plays Lilith with a quiet, almost gentle presence that slowly turns unsettling. She brings an old-world elegance to the character, layered with a sudden, wolfish violence that keeps you on edge.
In the end, “They Will Kill You” isn’t trying to be a deep, philosophical take on evil – and that’s fine. What it delivers instead is a fun, chaotic horror fest that’s bloody, funny, and oddly cathartic. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
As of press time, ‘They Will Kill You’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.
