As someone who watches a lot of film and TV, I’ve found the only way to be surprised is to go in knowing as little as possible. A lack of surprise doesn’t necessarily affect enjoyment, however. There’s a certain joy in recognizing familiar tropes and pinpointing them on screen as the story continues, to the point that when the credits roll, you’re left satisfied. It’s in recognizing these narrative beats that you find it so much more satisfying when the unpredictable happens.
As a genre, horror has a tendency to rely on shocking unsuspecting viewers. They Will Kill You, produced by It director Andy Muschietti alongside Barbara Muschietti and Dan Kagan, goes one step further. This slaughter showcase doesn’t just pull the rug out from under your feet in every scene, it also challenges your expectations of how much you can cram into a horror movie and still get away with it. If you’re open to having your mind broadened and aren’t too squeamish about heavy-handed dialogue, you’re in luck: They Will Kill You made its streaming debut on HBO Max earlier this week. And in a surprising turn of events for a movie that mostly flew under the radar when it premiered in theaters in March 2026, it’s quickly become the No. 1 most-streamed film on HBO Max worldwide, according to online tracker FlixPatrol
An unexpected mixture of horror, comedy, and action, They Will Kill You is what would happen if you combined Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Ready or Not. It’s a blood-soaked, ultra-violent tale of love and the price we’re willing to pay for revenge.
Zazie Beetz stars as Asia Reaves, an ex-convict who responds to an ad for a housekeeper position for a high-rise community called Virgil in New York City. Unfortunately for Asia, these filthy-rich snobs are secretly part of a satanic cult — and she’s their next sacrifice. But unfortunately for the cultists, Asia happens to be a heavily armed killer who’s time in prison left her more than ready to brutalize anyone who lays a hand on her.
The result is vicious violence, which writer-director Kirill Sokolov shoots in such a comedic way that, at times, it feels like watching a live-action comic-book TV series. Think ‘60s Batman, minus the POW and WHAM and with far more blood and viscera. Sokolov is utterly gleeful about grossing out his audiences, with one particular scene involving an eyeball that had me roaring with laughter.
While literal violence makes up the lifeblood of They Will Kill You, Sokolov doesn’t just hinge this film on sadism and laughter. The director’s decision to open the film with two sisters, Asia and Maria, running away from their abusive father, only to be caught and separated (Asia is imprisoned while Maria is returned to their father, setting up the protagonists’ primary motivation) is a poignant reminder that the system meant to protect you is capable of enacting violence against you through its lack of care. It’s a message that Sokolov delivers with the brute force of a sledgehammer to ensure you don’t miss it, but outside some truly rigid and on-the-nose dialogue, They Will Kill You sticks the landing.
The movie only scored a 65% review average on Rotten Tomatoes, but don’t let that dissuade you from watching it on HBO Max. It also flopped at the box office, just barely managing to make back its $20 million budget. Hopefully, this streaming success will serve as redemption.
Yet even when They Will Kill You stumbles due to the occasional overindulgence of having too much to work with, it’s the performance of the cast that keeps it grounded. Severance’s Patricia Arquette as the intimidatingly severe Lily Woodhouse is a force to be reckoned with, but it is undoubtedly Beetz who steals the show.
Stunning and lethal in just a pajama shirt and pants, Beetz is every bit as much an action hero as John Wick or Beatrix Kiddo. Whether she’s wielding a machete that cuts with the precision of a samurai sword or punching a kid straight in the face (he deserved it!), Asia is one of the most memorable protagonists in recent memory. Beetz’ performance elevates They Will Kill You from a gruesome exhibition into a modern genre classic.
They Will Kill You is available to stream now on HBO Max.
