They Will Kill You arrives on HBO Max with a plot that sounds almost too ridiculous to work. A young woman takes a job as a maid in one of Manhattan’s most exclusive residential buildings and discovers the place is secretly run by a Satanic cult that requires regular human sacrifices. But instead of becoming the next victim, she fights back. Devious Maids, anyone?
The surprising thing is that the film embraces that absurdity from the beginning rather than trying to explain it away. The trailer makes it clear that director Kirill Sokolov is aiming for something closer to Ready or Not, The Raid, and The Cabin in the Woods than a traditional supernatural horror film. The Virgil, the massive apartment building at the center of the story, operates less like a location and more like a giant puzzle box designed to kill anyone trapped inside. Hidden mechanisms, locked corridors, and cult members lurking around every corner give the movie a video game-like structure that could make the action sequences especially entertaining.
Myha’La appears to carry much of the film’s energy. They Will Kill You depicts her as someone who initially seems overwhelmed by the situation. But once the violence starts, the character transforms into a surprisingly capable survivor. The reveal that she learned to fight in prison makes as one of the funniest moments because it arrives after increasingly chaotic carnage.
A lot of horror comedies struggle because they never fully commit to either side. They become too goofy to create tension or too serious to support the jokes. They Will Kill You is willing to go all-in on both. The violence appears excessive and bloody, while the dialogue leans into profanity-filled exchanges and deadpan humor. The scene where multiple characters repeatedly yell “Fuck you” at each other tells you exactly what kind of movie this wants to be.
Patricia Arquette looks particularly effective as one of the cult’s leaders. She brings the kind of authority that makes ridiculous material feel believable. Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Zazie Beetz also add recognizable faces to a cast that appears to understand the tone. Nobody is embarrassed by the material, which is often the difference between a fun horror-comedy and a failed one.
The movie’s setting also deserves some attention. The Virgil’s backstory, a luxury building built in 1923 that secretly functions as a Satanic temple, gives the film a gothic foundation underneath all the action. The idea feels like a twisted cousin of Only Murders in the Building filtered through a midnight horror movie. The contrast between wealth, exclusivity, and pure madness creates a setting with more personality than many modern horror films manage.
There is something refreshing about a film that knows exactly what it is. It never pretends They Will Kill You is elevated horror or psychological drama. It is a loud, violent, darkly funny survival story about escaping a building full of cultists and death traps. Sometimes that kind of straightforward genre confidence is enough.
They Will Kill You looks like one of those movies that horror fans will either completely embrace or immediately reject. There probably will not be much middle ground. Viewers who enjoy chaotic genre mashups with a healthy amount of blood and sarcasm will love the bizarre.
For viewers expecting serious supernatural horror, this may not be the right choice. But for anyone who enjoyed the anarchic energy of Ready or Not, Mayhem, or The Hunt, this looks like a very promising addition to the horror-comedy lineup.
What to Watch After They Will Kill You
Ready or Not (2019)
A bride discovers her wealthy new family participates in a deadly ritualistic game on her wedding night.
The Hunt (2020)
Strangers wake up in a remote location and realize they are being hunted for sport.
Mayhem (2017)
An office building descends into violent chaos after a virus removes everyone’s inhibitions.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
A horror movie that constantly twists audience expectations while mixing comedy and gore.
Guns Akimbo (2019)
An ordinary man is forced into a deadly underground game and must fight his way out.
Ash vs Evil Dead (TV Series)
A fast-paced horror-comedy packed with gore, supernatural threats, and absurd humor.
Preacher (TV Series)
Dark comedy, supernatural violence, and eccentric characters collide in a chaotic road-trip story.