It’s certainly odd to see two horror-comedies about estranged sisters battling for their lives against a Satanic cult open within a week of each other, but Hollywood works in strange ways. Sadly, the newest one, ‘They Will Kill You,’ is less entertaining that the moderately enjoyable ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,’ with ennui setting in quickly despite some hard work from star Zazie Beetz and a few impressive production values.
But ‘They Will Kill You’ otherwise comes across as soulless and pointless, with director Kirill Sokolov giving the impression that his entire range of influences consists of some early Quentin Tarantino and a few video games. A few morbidly funny images aside (a disembodied eyeball nearly steals the show), this is a movie made only to be lapped up by a late-night Fantastic Fest crowd who won’t even remember it the next day.
Asia Reaves (Beetz) tries to save her younger sister Maria and herself from their vicious, predatory father, but ends up landing herself behind bars while Maria remains in dad’s clutches. A decade later, Asia is released from prison and promptly heads to an old-school New York luxury hotel called the Virgil, the last place she knew her sister (Myha’la) to be working.
Posing as a new member of the cleaning staff, Asia is barely settled into her quarters when she is attacked by the hotel’s manager, Lilith (Patricia Arquette), and a number of the guests. It seems that the Virgil is home to an ancient Satanic cult, and Asia has already been designated as their next ritual sacrifice to the Devil – a sacrifice that ensures the immortality of the Virgil’s guests even if they are hacked, decapitated, and disemboweled by Asia, who’s ready to fight back with everything she’s got.
Sokolov (‘Why Don’t You Just Die!’) and co-screenwriter Alex Litvak have strung together the thinnest script they could stretch to 90 minutes, just as connective tissue for a series of outlandish, cartoonish scenes of violence and gore. Blood sprays out of gaping wounds like fountains and the now-overused and irritating gimmick of ironically using pop song needle drops to score these repetitive sequences is deployed.
‘Ready or Not 2’ does more or less the same thing, but here the stakes are even less consequential because none of the Satanists can die; they merely come back to life even if Asia chops off their heads (as she does, frequently). Between that and the music undercutting everything, there’s no emotional engagement here at all with Asia, her quest, and her plight.
The cumulative effect is indeed of watching a video game as people die and reset. As a result a sort of numbness sets in – not the best response as we see, for the second week in a row, a young woman beaten mercilessly by her enemies (and again, with little stakes, since she seems quite capable of getting up and going back at it). There’s nothing scary or particularly suspenseful here, and aside from some humorous moments – as when we follow that eyeball we mentioned earlier – the film settles into a rinse-and-repeat cycle that isn’t even enlivened by the appearance of the Devil himself as a talking pig’s head.
The production values are handsome enough and the sound design is particularly effective (that team seems to be in on the joke, as their work often resembles that of cartoons). But Sokolov gets in his own way by drawing attention to his camera moves, his cutscene compositions, and his stylized, over-the-top gore, and the movie ends up vacuous and lacking anything resembling real human feelings or outcomes.
We’ve got to hand it to Zazie Beetz: not only does she have more screentime here than in just about anything else she’s done, but she makes the most of it despite the movie’s shortcomings. She has presence and an intense physicality, and is fully committed to the action even if it’s just more brutalization of a woman. Her dialogue is minimal, in keeping with the bare-bones script, so she works with what she can.
Wish we could say the same about Patricia Arquette, but her odd, sort-of Irish accent keeps distracting us. The rest of the cast, even Heather Graham, doesn’t really register, because they’re mostly there as fodder for gore.
Between this and ‘Ready or Not 2’ (which is the better film), it’s time to put a stake in the quickly ossifying horror-comedy tropes that have been rolled out in the last few years. But in addition to that, ‘They Will Kill You’ works too self-consciously hard to be something it’s not: an organic, authentic B-movie.
A film like this, released in the ‘70s or ‘80s, wouldn’t have necessarily been considered good. But years later, the same esthetic – filtered as mentioned above through the combination of Tarantino’s oeuvre and far too much time on the Xbox – now just comes across as a copy of a copy of a copy. Even when it gets to its boss level, ‘They Will Kill You’ never comes to life.
‘They Will Kill You’ receives a score of 40 out of 100.
‘They Will Kill You’ opens in theaters on March 27th.
What is the plot of ‘They Will Kill You’?
Searching for her sister, an ex-convict answers an ad to be a housekeeper at the Virgil, a mysterious New York City high-rise. But she is entering a death-trap that has seen a number of disappearances over the years, and discovers all too soon that she is next.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in March and April 2026, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel (Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.
A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Jessie Buckley) is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
After his estranged son gets embroiled in a Nazi plot, self-exiled gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) must return to Birmingham to save his family — and his nation. ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ opens in select theaters on March 6th, and on Netflix March 20th.
On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.
Stephen Graham stars in ‘Heel’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
From Academy Award nominated director Jan Komasa, ‘Heel’ is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy’s unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Milla Jovovich stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
Former war hero Nikki’s (Milla Jovovich) peaceful life is shattered when her daughter is kidnapped. Thrust into the criminal underworld while hunted by cops and military, she must fight to rescue her child.
(L to R) Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker star in ‘For Worse’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
Lauren (Amy Landecker), a newly divorced, sober mom, feels like she has a new lease on life after joining her first acting class and starting a fling with her hot, young scene partner. However, when they attend their Gen Z classmate’s wedding together, things begin to fall apart, and Lauren finds herself behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid. Luckily after a disastrous night she stumbles into a new day and a new beginning.
When Diem’s (Zoe Kosovic) custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s (Maika Monroe) attempts to see her, she discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
A still from the action, sci-fi and adventure film, ‘Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead’, a Blue Harbor Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
300 years after the Big Flood, the legend of an outlawed Storm Rider inspires two rebellious islanders to find out the truth about the origin of their world.
(Center) Josh Duhamel as “Alan” in the Comedy, Family film, ‘Preschool’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
Two determined fathers engage in a comical battle to enroll their kids in an elite preschool, escalating into an absurd competition with unexpected results.
Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a school-teacher-turned-astronaut, wakes up from a coma, alone, on a space station with no memory of who he is or his mission. His memory returns in bursts and he pieces together that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to reverse the impact of a space event that had already hurled our planet into the early stages of an Ice Age. As details of the mission unravel, Grace must call on all of his scientific training and sheer ingenuity, but he might not have to do it alone…
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama star in ‘The Pout-Pout Fish’. Photo: Viva Pictures.
Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama), who had mistaken his home for a junkyard – pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope! Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of the mythical “Shimmer” to grant them a wish, there’s only one problem: someone else is on the hunt…
Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
After her car is towed and she is left with a shocking $21,634 tow bill, an unhoused woman (Rose Byrne) wages a relentless fight to reclaim her car—and her life—exposing a broken system and redefining what it means to persevere against all odds.
(L to R) Director Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs on the set of the documentary ‘Marc by Sofia’. Photo: A24.
An intimate, unconventional portrait of Marc Jacobs, crafted by Sofia Coppola to capture the genius and singular universe of the iconic American designer.
(L to R) Grace (Avantika), Princess (Lana Condor), Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), and Zoe (Iris Apatow) in ‘Pretty Lethal’. Photo: Amazon.
A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.
Alpha (Mélissa Boros), a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘ and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AIinsanity. ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
A woman (Zazie Beetz) answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Johnny Pemberton as “Doug Nelson” in the Action, Comedy, Horror film, ‘Mermaid’. Photo courtesy of Utopia.
A Percocet-addicted ‘Florida Man’ finds a wounded mermaid at his lowest point. Fascination becomes a drug infused, one sided relationship — sending him further into decline. When word spreads about his secret, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in ‘Outcome’, premiering April 10, 2026 on Apple TV.
Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), Hollywood’s poster child since age six, is not okay. When he learns about an extortion plot tied to a mysterious video, Reef preemptively sets out on a redemption tour to make amends, confront his demons, and avoid getting canceled.
(L to R) Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson in ‘Beast’. Photo: Lionsgate.
A commercial fisherman struggling to provide for his family and avenge his brother’s death fights in a mixed martial-arts match against a dangerous opponent. Starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson.
A scene from 2026’s ‘Faces of Death’. Photo: Shudder.
A moderator on an internet video-sharing platform stumbles across a potential snuff film ring hidden in the depths of the site’s content. Are these gruesome videos merely a morbid work of shock-value fiction, or something all too horribly real?
(L to R) Anna (Halle Bailey) and Michael (Regé-Jean Page) in ‘You, Me & Tuscany’, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo: Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures.
Free-spirited Italian chef (Halle Bailey) and reserved British lawyer (Regé-Jean Page) embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.
Oil tycoon Merriell Sunday Sr. and renowned adventurer Hollis Bannister have disappeared without a trace. Their last known location is northern Alaska. Ellie Bannister and Merriell Sunday Jr., set out to search for their missing fathers and the truth behind what made them vanish. As the rescue team heads deeper into the heart of this frozen landscape, danger mounts. Something has taken notice of their trespassing expedition…and that prehistoric something is now stalking them…hunting them.
Focus Features will release ‘Lorne’ in theaters on April 17th.
From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of ‘20 Feet From Stardom‘ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?‘, comes ‘Lorne’, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
In the aftermath of a bank robbery, interim sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) uncovers a criminal conspiracy at the heart of his small-town Minnesota community.
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The story of Michael Jackson’s (Jaafar Jackson) life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.
A woman (Charlize Theron) testing her limits in the Australian wilderness is suddenly ensnared in a deadly game with a ruthless predator. ‘APEX’ debuts on Netflix April 24th.
