This past weekend saw the release of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, a survival horror-comedy following a woman attempting to protect her sister and survive the night from a group of wealthy murderers. Weirdly enough, a film with the exact same concept is releasing in theaters a week later: They Will Kill You. Although one could look at the film as a pale imitation, it has plenty more to offer and is arguably better than its unofficial predecessor.

As described above, They Will Kill You follows Asia Reeves, played by Zazie Beetz, a woman who takes a job at an NYC high-rise and eventually discovers the sinister intentions behind her hiring. With Asia’s sister, Maria(Myha’la), getting stuck in the situation, Asia must use her wits and will to protect her sister and escape before falling at the hands of the wealthy owners of the building.

One-location horror films have become a more common trend in recent memory, even outside of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, with movies like Evil Dead Rise and undertone performing extremely well financially, justifying the existence of They Will Kill You. The film isn’t just another confined survival movie; it delves deep into action absurdity. Drawing heavy inspiration from the Kill Bill movies, the film uses ragdoll action to the fullest extent. People are being sliced up in the most inconceivable ways, shotgun shots are blowing people 50 feet back, all of which create a darkly joyful tone and high energy that makes it hard to look away.

Zazie Beetz had her fair share of action films with roles in Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train, but she shows her full potential in They Will Kill You. In mostly hand-to-hand combat, Beetz is putting her all in every scene. Her commitment to the most obscure fighting techniques not only shows how much she cares about the film but also perfectly expresses her character’s drive to survive and save her sister. If her previous films haven’t pushed her to action stardom, They Will Kill You will likely be the movie to do it, as she is exceptional in every scene.

A film like this is best experienced by going in as blind as possible, given how unpredictable its structure is. A couple of scenes at the beginning, in particular, reveal jarring twists that set up how impossible the situation Asia found herself in. There are also time jumps that reveal certain aspects of the story, and they are included in a way that doesn’t slow the pace, even during moments of high tension. Even though some of the story beats are familiar to films of the same genre, the structure makes what could’ve been a stale experience far more refreshing.

The camera is equally as dynamic as the action choreography. Most of the action is shot on a dolly and close to the characters, which helps place the audience directly in the scene rather than in the background. Shooting this way is such a simple yet effective method in bringing a more engaging experience, especially when the action is as nonsensical as it is in this film. The third act in particular leans hard into absurdity, and instead of detracting, it is welcomed, given the film’s quirky tone established earlier.

Although the sister storyline served its purpose of leading Asia into her horrible circumstances, it wasn’t nearly as engaging as it should’ve been. Zazie Beetz and Myha’la have solid chemistry, but because the film is so focused on delivering insane action sequences, all the dramatic moments between them feel like an afterthought. There is an attempt to build tension between the two relationships, but it falls completely flat and results in a series of juxtaposed tones.

Despite sharing familiar elements with other films, They Will Kill You stands out for how far it leans into surrealism and dynamic action sequences. With colorful sets and a charismatic lead performance from Zazie Beetz, this has enough surprises to make it worth a trip to the theater. If you could only watch one movie in theaters where a woman is attempting to survive the night from a group of wealthy murderers, this is the one to check out.

They Will Kill You will be released in theaters nationwide on March 27.

Rating: 7/10

Oscar Prospects:

None.