Horror films centred around the social class gap have become increasingly popular over the past decade. Recent examples include Ready or Not (2019), The Hunt (2020), and the latest entry into the sub-genre, They Will Kill You.

Zazie Beetz stars as Asia Reaves, a housekeeper hired at a high-rise building at the centre of many recent and mysterious disappearances. When Reaves arrives, she digs into the building’s sinister past and does her best to navigate the secretive community and keep her paranoia in check. But what starts as a questionable and odd gig becomes a hellish fight for survival against Satanic and ritualistic horrors and twisted loyalties.

After appearing in supporting roles in high-profile films like Deadpool 2 (2018), Joker (2019), and Bullet Train (2022), this is Beetz’s biggest part to date. Fortunately, she carries the film with flying colours. Her charisma and intentionally over-the-top delivery perfectly match the film’s tone, with constant cursing and yelling to keep the energy high. With the actress at its helm, They Will Kill You not only lives up to its title but also its R rating. There is no shortage of brutal murders, and blood drenches every inch of the floor, wall, and assembled characters. Gore fans will leave satisfied, as heads get severed, and limbs fly across the room.

Undoubtedly, the film will be compared to other horror movies with similar narratives, like the aforementioned The Hunt and Ready or Not . It does not help that the latter’s sequel, Ready or Not 2 , was released in theatres only a week before. And there are so many similarities—the enclosed environment and satanic cult, to name just two—that it’s hard for They Will Kill You to stand out.

Much of the film’s 90-minute runtime is given to Beetz and actress Myha’la’s sibling relationship. While their complicated yet heartfelt dynamic brings the film much-needed emotional depth, it leaves little room for other characters to develop. Flashbacks allow audiences to piece together their background, but aside from a brief exposition from Patricia Arquette’s Lily, not much else is revealed about the other characters along for the ride. With supporting gems like Paterson Joseph, Heather Graham, and Tom Felton, there’s a lot more that could have been explored to raise the stakes.

While They Will Kill You will feel familiar, its commitment to its over-the-top premise and exaggerated performances make it an enjoyable enough ride and, more over, a very promising sign of what director and co-writer Kirill Sokolov could deliver next.

They Will Kill You is now playing in theatres.