Boy Kills World

I love Kill Bill (volume 1, not 2), that's how I know I would like this movie. And as it turned out, I do like it. The action was cool and the fight sequences are good. And although the story was straightforward, it's still interesting. Besides, there was a plot twist near the end of the movie. I guessed it right, though. It's a good twist, but too simple. In the end, it wasn't a total surprise. Maybe I need to remind you that this is a violent movie. So for those who can't stomach the blood and gore, don't watch this movie. The comedy part of this movie made this movie less dark than it actually is. Every time Bennie talks to Boy, his interpretation of Bennie's speech made me laughed my butt off.

Boy (That's his name) witnesses the murder of his family at the hands of goons who work for the dysfunctional crime family who run a dystopian city at an unspecified location and date. Boy is rescued by the Shaman, who subjects him to a brutal regime of martial arts training, so that he grows up to be a lethal killing machine (Bill Skarsgard), whose sole purpose is revenge.

So far, so seen-it-all-before, so yada-yada-yada. Boy Kills World, however, brings enough originality to the old tropes that the viewer is happy to go along with things as they take increasingly-bizarre turns. To start with, Boy is a deaf-mute. He can read lips, and hears a voice-over in his head. He's also haunted by the ghost of his younger sister, who acts as his guide and moral conscience.

Naturally, he embarks on his elaborate revenge, leaving a trail of bodies killed in inventive and extremely bloody ways. There's a lot of John Wick, and a big slice of The Running Man. There are also a surprising number of laughs, with great comedic performances from Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Sharlto Copley and Andrew Koji. Gotta love June27 as well.

As you'd expect, there's also a twist at the end, but it's twisty enough to pack a punch.

This is not high art. This is not a film that rewards analysis. Nothing about it is outstanding, and its plot-holes have plot-holes. If, however, you can switch your brain off and go long for the ride, it's a wild and satisfying one.

This movie is narrated by H. Jon Benjamin. If that doesn't tell you exactly what kind of movie this is, let me explain:

This is what Archer would be if it was a little more dramatic and a lot more bloody.

Oldboy if it were half as brilliant with a little bit of slapstick thrown in.

The Hunger Games if it didn't treat death and murder was all that bad - like it was written by a gamer of the FPS variety.

Did I cringe at the squelching bloody noises? Yes. Did I laugh out loud in the theater? Also yes. Was the revenge story worthwhile? I think so. Outside all of the action, the story was not terrible, and the characters had character. Worth a watch, but doubt it'll change anyone's life.

I got the chance to see this movie early at an AMC Unseen Screen event -- and considering I was walking in thinking they were going to show the new Amy Winehouse biopic -- I was pleasantly surprised when we got our opening shots and realized I was in for a much different ride than I'd previously anticipated.

My immediate reaction is to compare Boy Kills World to John Wick -- it's certainly just as bloody. But the continuous underlying thread of humor throughout this movie juxtaposed with the gratuitous violence puts it more into the realm of Bullet Train in my mind.

Bill Skarsgård's physical acting paired with H. Jon Benjamin's voice acting was a matchup I never knew I needed in my life. There were several times where I genuinely laughed out loud -- even when the next scene was a quick crash to someone getting their head smooshed. They did a great job blending the action with the comedy while still getting you to care about the main character and his plight.

Definitely not for the weak of heart or stomach -- but if you're looking for a bloody fun romp through absolute mayhem that doesn't require much from you as a viewer, then you've found your film. I just saw it last night and I still say I'd for sure go see it again, even so soon after viewing.

Here we are in 2024 with another revenge film. I had just seen Monkey Man over a month ago, a revenge film which I also enjoyed.

Boy Kills World was already on my radar, before watching Monkey Man, but I didn't think I would be in a situation where I would be comparing the two. Until now, after watching Boy Kills World.

Without spoilers, both men go through a similar journey of a traumatic event happening in their childhood. With Monkey Man being more of a drama and Boy Kills World being more of a comedy.

However, I will say Boy Kills World has a more creative narrative structure and stronger choreography than Monkey Man. It also has replay value, I will definitely watch Boy Kills World again, much sooner than revisiting Monkey Man.