This weekend sees the release of They Will Kill You, an action comedy horror film that is destined to become a cult classic. Directed by Kirill Sokolov from a screenplay he co-wrote with Alex Litvak, They Will Kill You is an agglomeration of different movie styles that works to showcase Sokolov’s inspirations but also forges its own path as a potential genre classic down the road. It features standout visuals, top-notch fight choreography, a copious amount of gore, and a 100 percent committed performance from Zazie Beetz as Asia Reaves. It’s the lone wide release this weekend and one you should definitely check out, and if you’re still hankering for something along the same lines when you exit the theater, here are five films you should check out if you had a bloody good time with They Will Kill You.

5. Becky (2020)

They Will Kill You features a lead character that the antagonists don’t expect to be a force to be reckoned with, and the same can be said about thirteen-year-old Becky Hooper (Lulu Wilson) in Becky, directed by Jonathan Millet and Cary Murnion from a screenplay by Nick Morris, Lane Skye, and Ruckus Skye. In the film, a father and daughter’s vacation home becomes the target of a gang of escaped Neo-Nazis led by Dominick (Kevin James). Becky is completely led by the compelling performance of Wilson and an against-type portrayal of the evil Dominick that ultimately leads to the titular character taking action in a completely unexpected way that makes this a gore-soaked take on Home Alone.

She begins as a character who is grieving the loss of her mother from cancer, to someone who violently takes charge as a ruthless teen who won’t easily succumb to the people who have infiltrated what is already a strained environment with her father due to the trauma of losing her mother. Becky’s trauma is essential to her character development, as it seems to fuel her rage when she’s strategically taking out Dominick’s crew one by one. Much like They Will Kill You, it’s littered with creative kills and gruesome scenes of gore that manage to allow the tone to bounce around from a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to something darkly comedic in the way some of its violence is depicted. It’s a film about a female asserting her agency and taking action, and even if she’s just thirteen years old, she more than holds her own.

4. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

When watching They Will Kill You, it’ll become obvious fairly soon that it is subverting expectations, and that is exactly what The Cabin in the Woods did when it was released, because you’re expecting one thing and then it’s turned on its head to give you something completely different and far more entertaining. Directed by Drew Goddard in his directorial debut from a screenplay he co-wrote with Joss Whedon, The Cabin in the Woods follows a group of college students who head to a remote cabin in the woods where they come under attack by various monsters as technicians manipulate events around them from an underground facility for nefarious means. They Will Kill You has been frequently compared to Ready or Not due to its aesthetic and similar marketing that seems to depict that the rich are in league with Satan and up to no good.

However, once you see it, it becomes a bit more than that as it blends various genres to give you something you weren’t quite expecting. The Cabin in the Woods is similar in the sense that it makes you believe you may be getting set up for a typical slasher film in the woods and then turns it on its head by going for something much more intelligent that avoids common tropes. Goddard and Whedon set up a world where the victims aren’t mere victims, and give the audience insight into how they could be controlled in intense situations of peril if they were controlled by a higher power. It’s the concept of “Big Brother Is Watching You” that takes the aesthetic of the slasher film that made film series such as Friday the 13th so popular, and then gives audiences a brand new isolated cabin-in-the-woods scenario that makes the film completely fresh.

Due to Goddard and Whedon’s writing, the movie is a clever blend of horror and comedy, much like They Will Kill You, but it never diminishes the stakes at hand. It all culminates in a final act that drives it all home in a climax that will make any gore-fiend happy because it’s no-holds-barred. Some of the best horror films subvert expectations, and The Cabin in the Woods is one of the best examples of that.

3. Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

Several reviews for They Will Kill You have compared Sokolov’s style to that of Quentin Tarantino, and the most obvious comparison would be Tarantino’s work on Kill Bill: Volume 1. Not only are some of the style choices similar, but Beetz’s Asia Reaves would be in good company with Kill Bill’s Beatrix “the Bride” Kiddo (Uma Thurman) if it came down to kicking ass and taking names. Working from his own screenplay, Kill Bill: Vol 1 follows Beatrix Kiddo, aka The Bride (Thurman), who is on a path of bloody revenge against a group of assassins known as the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), after they attempt to kill her and her unborn child.

Her journey ultimately leads her to Tokyo, where she more than holds her own against the yakuza on her quest for vengeance. They Will Kill You isn’t a revenge story, but the similarities with Kill Bill: Vol. 1 come down to stylistic choices, similar fight choreography, a kickass female lead, and a high-energy marriage of different genre styles that work to give both films a signature aesthetic. Tarantino is known for being an encyclopedia of film and is no stranger to blending genres, and that’s what he does with Kill Bill, as he tackles everything from spaghetti westerns, 70s kung films, and even anime during one standout sequence. You can feel Tarantino’s immense passion for all of these different facets of film, and thanks to his brilliance as a director, the final product pays homage rather than just ripping something off, something They Will Kill You also achieves during its 94-minute runtime.

The action in They Will Kill You is highly stylized and visceral, something that Tarantino achieved with Kill Bill, particularly during the iconic Crazy 88 showdown that somehow manages to be polished, over-the-top, and a little cartoony all wrapped into one bloody affair package. At the heart of all of this is Thurman’s performance in a role that was made specifically for her. She owns every frame of Kill Bill in a performance that is more silent and deadly rather than emotive, but no less powerful. It still stands as one of the best female performances and best female characters put to the big screen, and while Beetz’s Asia Reaves still needs more time to get to this level, she’s still more than capable of a potential team-up with her own sword in hand.

2. You’re Next (2011)

With You’re Next, much like They Will Kill You, the audience is gifted with another horror film that subverts expectations, which has one of the most underrated final girls leading the charge. Directed by Adam Wingard from a screenplay by Simon Barrett, You’re Next follows an estranged family gathering together for a family reunion in rural Missouri, who find themselves under attack by a group of masked assailants. You’re Next looks like it’s going to be a typical home invasion thriller until it brilliantly turns those tropes on their head. Barrett’s screenplay hides the true motives of the plot until necessary, and once they reveal themselves, it gives the film a jolt of energy that it maintains until the end of its 94-minute runtime.

Much like They Will Kill You, You’re Next balances dark humor with violence that brings a bit of levity to the chaos without diluting the film’s impact. The film is high on creative kills and gore, utilizing practical effects that only raise the stakes as the violence escalates. However, where You’re Next truly shines is the character of Erin (Sharni Vinson), who appears to just be a woman accompanying her boyfriend on an awkward family excursion, only to reveal herself as a survivalist who is no shrieking violet and is as lethal as the masked assailants wreaking havoc on the home. She’s a resourceful and competent lead that deserves a place on the list of memorable finals girls because she delivers better than most.

The best thing about how she’s used is that they don’t make her some undestructible superheroine since she takes her lumps on more than a few occasions, much like Asia Reaves in They Will Kill You, but like that character, she bounces back in lethal fashion and makes You’re Next, till this day, one of the more underrated horror offerings of the last 15 years.

1. Ready or Not (2019)

The biggest comparison that has come up often when discussing They Will Kill You is 2019’s Ready or Not. There are key differences once you get down to the nuts and bolts of it all, but they both involve the rich elite making deals with the devil and an unsuspecting female lead who is thrown in the middle of it all. Directed by Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, Ready or Not follows a young bride named Grace (Samara Weaving) who finds herself hunted on her wedding day by her spouse’s wealthy family in a vicious game of hide-and-seek that serves as a wedding night ritual to worship the Devil.

Ready or Not cleverly comments on class warfare and the entitlement of the rich to take out the one percent to do whatever it takes to maintain their power and wealth. Many make references to how different the rich come off from those with more modest means and Ready or Not drives that home by showcasing their wealth and then unveiling a twisted game played in the shadows that masks how ugly these people truly are. Beyond the social commentary, which also hilariously pokes fun at what it takes to marry into a wealthy and powerful family, Ready or Not is a clever blend of humor and horror that is expertly executed by a stellar ensemble cast led by the directing strengths of Radio Silence, who have been known to find humor in the macabre and utilize it well.

Then there is the ultimate Final Girl in Grace, portrayed by Scream Queen extraordinaire Weaving, who is equal parts vulnerable and charming in the role while eventually revealing a fearless portrayal of someone who will do whatever it takes to survive. Weaving is game for all of the gore, action, and absurdity that is thrown her way in Ready or Not, and the reason much of the film works is because of her dedication to the scenario. While she brings even more of her bad-ass tendencies in the sequel, Ready or Not still proves to be her best showcase because she’s allowed to shine on her own and carry much of the film all on her shoulders.

They Will Kill You is now playing in theaters nationwide.

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