--- title: "They Will Kill You: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/they-will-kill-you/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/they-will-kill-you" critics_score: 61 critics_reviews: 22 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # They Will Kill You (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 61 from 22 reviews: 10 positive, 8 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews lean towards qualified approval, with praise clustering around Zazie Beetz’s physical performance and the inventive, grisly fight sequences. Even several sceptical critics find something to admire in the choreography, while supporters enjoy the humour and exaggerated violence enough to forgive a thin plot. Beetz is the clearest point of agreement: her energy, athleticism and comic timing repeatedly earn praise, including from critics unconvinced by the film around her. The spread is wide, with disagreement over how long the action remains entertaining and whether the sisters’ story supplies enough emotional weight. Deadline finds real feeling in that relationship, while several reviews consider it underdeveloped alongside the social commentary. The Guardian faults the borrowed style and weak jokes; Variety finds the revenge story exhausting and short on stakes. Between those positions, many critics enjoy individual sequences but find that the film loses momentum or has little beneath its busy surface. ## Empire — Helen O’Hara Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2026. O’Hara finds the film a wildly entertaining, immensely fun horror ride despite its thin plot and lack of subtlety. She especially praises Sokolov’s commitment to grisly violence and Beetz’s hard-as-nails performance. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/they-will-kill-you/) ## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel Rating 4/4/4. 26 March 2026. Bitel finds the film a confident, feisty action-horror with a political edge. He praises its hyperkinetic gore and cartoonish vision of sisterhood and solidarity. [Read the review](https://www.lwlies.com/reviews/they-will-kill-you) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2026. Walsh finds the film an entertaining, gleefully over-the-top action-comedy that rises above its familiar influences. She especially praises its inventive visual storytelling and Beetz’s frantic, physically expressive performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-03-26/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-kirill-sokolov-patricia-arquette-myhala) ## IndieWire — Katie Rife Rating B-. 19 March 2026. Festival review. Rife finds the film thrilling at first but increasingly overwhelming and anticlimactic. She praises the practical stunt work and choreography, especially Beetz’s action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-kirill-sokolov-1235185292/) ## Screen Daily — Nikki Baughan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 2026. The headline presents the film as high-octane horror, suggesting a positive verdict. It singles out Zazie Beetz fighting back, but the review text is behind a paywall. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-fights-back-in-kirill-sokolovs-high-octane-horror/5215129.article) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating B-. 26 March 2026. Hassenger finds the familiar action-horror formula more lively than expected, though it loses steam and its sister story feels underdeveloped. He singles out Zazie Beetz’s convincing physicality and the film’s inventive, gory horror sequences. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/they-will-kill-you-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2026. Han finds the film an enjoyably giddy, gory action spectacle, though ultimately insubstantial. She praises Zazie Beetz’s cool, athletic performance and the gleefully inventive violence, while criticizing the thin characters and abandoned ideas. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-myhala-1236547504/) ## Radio Times — Rosie Fletcher Rating 3/5. Fletcher presents the film as a funny, gory horror romp. She singles out its video-game-inspired style, which evokes John Wick as a video game. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-au4ff8/they-will-kill-you) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3/5. 25 March 2026. The review presents the film as gonzo exploitation with cult potential. It singles out Zazie Beetz cutting loose in its action-horror mayhem. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/they-will-kill-you-review-2026) ## Slant Magazine — Anzhe Zhang Rating 2/4. 26 March 2026. The critic finds the film derivative and increasingly generic, with its style-over-substance approach leaving the story emotionally weightless. They praise the early action choreography and comic-book flourishes, especially the mattress fight and the tunnel chase. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz/) ## The Guardian — Charles Bramesco Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2026. Bramesco finds the film an overfamiliar, juvenile mix of action, comedy and horror that wears out its welcome. He praises its inventive gore and sprightly fight choreography, but faults its borrowed style and weak jokes. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/26/they-will-kill-you-movie-review) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2026. Willmore finds the film too sloppy and meandering to make its bloody premise work. She praises the fun camera movements and clearly staged fights, but says the fights lose impact because the characters can resurrect themselves. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/revivew-they-will-kill-you-but-can-they-get-on-with-it-already.html) ## Variety — Siddhant Adlakha Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2026. Festival review. The critic finds the film exhausting and unsatisfying, with its revenge story and action losing momentum and stakes. He praises Zazie Beetz’s committed performance and a few ludicrous, laugh-out-loud concepts. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/they-will-kill-you-review-1236692382/) ## Deadline — Glenn Garner Fi1m's normalised score 82/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2026. Festival review. Garner delivers an enthusiastic verdict on the film’s bloody, humorous take on a Satanic cult. He praises Beetz’s physical performance and the emotional force of the estranged sisters’ story. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/03/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-sxsw-1236746474/) ## Polygon — Aimee Hart Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2026. The critic recommends the film as a bloody, entertaining choice for fans of horror-comedies. They single out Zazie Beetz’s commanding performance, while noting that some dialogue is rigid and on-the-nose. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/they-will-kill-you-hbo-streaming/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds it a gleefully chaotic, highly entertaining horror comedy, though its thin plot may not work for everyone. They praise Zazie Beetz’s energetic action-hero performance and the film’s inventive gore. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-heather-graham-tom-felton-3936830) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 March 2026. Festival review. The critic finds the film a gleefully entertaining, if thematically underdeveloped, action ride. They single out Zazie Beetz’s ferocious performance and the inventive fight sequences for praise. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz/) ## /Film — Bill Bria Rating 6.5/10. 26 March 2026. Bria finds the film stylish and entertaining but ultimately empty, with little depth beneath its surface. He especially praises Zazie Beetz’s physicality and comedic timing, while faulting the thin world-building and underdeveloped themes. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2132731/they-will-kill-you-horror-movie-review/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 6/10. 27 March 2026. The critic finds the film a fun, berserk action ride whose style largely compensates for its lack of substance. He praises Zazie Beetz’s action performance and the film’s playful, inventive visual influences. [Read the review](https://collider.com/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds the film messy and uneven but entertaining for viewers seeking something wild and unpretentious. The action sequences stand out for their energy and inventive use of the building’s confined spaces. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/they-will-kill-you-review/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 2.5 out of 5. 26 March 2026. Crow finds the film entertaining in flashes but ultimately too thin to earn a cult following. He praises its meticulously staged action and fight choreography, while faulting its underdeveloped social commentary and sisterly dynamic. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/they-will-kill-you-review/) ## The Playlist — Monica Castillo Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 19 March 2026. Castillo finds the film entertaining at times but ultimately uneven and overstuffed. She praises Zazie Beetz’s action-hero performance, while criticizing the incoherent style and CGI-heavy finale. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/they-will-kill-you-review-zazie-beetz-takes-on-the-immortal-rich-in-messy-thriller-20260319/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/they-will-kill-you.md