BOY KILLS WORLD
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, H. Jon Benjamin, Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Andrew Koji, Famke Janssen, Sharlto Copley, Yayan Ruhian, and Quinn Copeland
Director: Moritz Mohr
QUENTIN
In the crowded action revenge genre, it doesn’t take much to succeed. The plots are almost always the same, so you only need charismatic characters, well-choreographed fight scenes, and exciting action sequences to entertain. Sadly, Boy Kills World didn’t get the memo. I admit there are few solid chuckles to be had, particularly a running joke about the deaf and mute Boy (Bill Skarsgård) being unable to read another character’s lips, but they aren’t enough to carry the film through its bloated runtime, mundanity, or dumbass twist. You’re better off rewatching John Wick. Or Monkey Man. Or Silent Night. Or…well, you get the idea.
NICK
Boy Kills World is a lot like a video game because the action scenes are bombastic and clearly inspired by that world. Bill Skarsgård makes for a dynamic lead despite any of his own dialogue thanks to his facial expressions and combat skills. I actually wish he had done the internal monologue over H. Jon Benjamin (the way it was originally screened at TIFF) as Benjamin provides too much disconnect. All in all, I liked this more than most of the John Wick-style films, probably because it leans heavier into the comedy side of things. It’s just a good-ass time.
AMARÚ
The second Bob from Bob’s Burgers (H. Jon Benjamin) starts narrating Boy Kills World, I knew what to expect: an utterly ridiculous time that rides the line between satirical and stupid. Then I saw the “Old Spice Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (Isaiah Mustafa) leading the film’s best running bit, and from that point on, I said fuck it. The action (and paired soundtrack) is cool, Bill Skarsgård’s gamut of expressions fit perfectly, and supporting actors like Mustafa and Sharlto Copley know exactly how to elevate this kind of stupidity. Yayan Ruhian alone is worth the crazy, and I’m here for it.
