Jimbo’s Movie Minute: “They Will Kill You”
A Florida man was arrested for trespassing, and just so happened to be wearing the perfect outfit for the occasion. Polie say 53‑year‑old Farron Fullerton had overstayed his welcome at a hotel in Brevard County. Instead of checking out at the end of his reservation, he locked himself in his room and refused to leave. Deputies were called in to remove him and were stunned when they opened the door and found him standing there already wearing a striped jail uniform. After he was taken into custody, he told deputies that he had stolen the uniform during a previous stay in jail. Fullerton was book on trespassing and resisting arrest charges. (WTVJ-TV Miami)
“It’s the Movie Minute with Matinee Matt. This week’s flick: They Will Kill You.
Zazie Beetz stars as an ex-con who takes a housekeeping job inside a mysterious New York high-rise and quickly finds herself trapped in a Satanic nightmare. On paper, it sounds a little like housemaid meets The Raid, in a grindhouse horror wrapper.
It doesn’t take long to get hit with a feeling of déjà vu while watching They Will Kill You. Even if it’s your first time, the movie has a familiar feeling from the first frame, wearing its influences on its sleeves. That would be less of a problem if it brought enough of its own personality to the table.
The good news is there are some genuinely thrilling action sequences, including a great set piece in the first act. There’s also some really inventive gore and blood effects. And Zazie Beetz nails her role, showing new range as a horror-action star.
The problem is the movie is everything and nothing all at once — horror, action, comedy — but winds up lacking in all three departments, with not enough laughs, scares, or action scenes, even though many of the ones we do get are satisfying. And for a movie that is way more of a Zazie Beetz vehicle than an ensemble picture, she still wasn’t given enough to do.
They Will Kill You is not without its charms. The problem is, it’s been done before, and done better. Two and a half out of five stars.
