“Boy Kills World” is the directorial debut of Moritz Mohr and is distributed by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Tyler Burton Smith and Arend Remmers wrote the screenplay based on a story by Remmers and Mohr. Bill Skarsgård portrays the character of “Boy,” who is seeking revenge against Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen), the insane leader of a corrupt post-apocalyptic dynasty that killed the Boy’s family, leaving him orphaned, deaf, and voiceless. Hilda’s team comprises hit woman June 27 (Jessica Rothe), muscle Gideon (Brett Gelman), and PR representatives Melanie (Michelle Dockery) and Glen (Sharlto Copley).
Driven by his inner voice(provided by H. Jon Benjamin), which he co-opted from his favorite childhood video game, Boy trains with a mysterious shaman (Yayan Ruhian) to become an instrument of death and is set loose on the eve of the annual culling of dissidents. Bedlam ensues as Boy commits bloody martial arts mayhem, inciting wrath of carnage and blood-letting. As he tries to get his bearings in this delirious realm, Boy soon falls in with a desperate resistance group led by Basho (Andrew Koji) and Benny (Isaiah Mustafa), bickering with the apparent ghost of his rebellious little sister.
One of the initial things that the audience notices about our protagonist is that he cannot speak. While I respect this creative decision, the use of voiceovers seems poorly executed and reminiscent of poorly dubbed Shaw Brothers films, which can lead to jokes falling flat. Nonetheless, the primary objective of a movie like this is to entertain, and in that aspect, it succeeds.
Skarsgård’s impressive talent is not given enough attention in this production. However, the trio of scene-stealers Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, and Sharlto Copley bring every ounce of mischief and mayhem to their roles, with Copley being an absolute blast to watch. Jessica Rothe sparkles brilliantly in her moments of action, and Andrew Koji leaves a lasting mark with his memorable performance.
“Boy Kills World” is an electrifying movie that will leave you breathless. The frenetic pace is impossible to resist, and the action scenes are spectacular. Although it flirts with being overwhelmingly zany, it still lands in the realm of cult B-movie charm, leaving a lasting impression. The adrenaline-pumping sequences are a treat, especially when Yayan Ruhian is on screen.
While it’s not an action classic, “Boy Kills World” is a solid one-time watch.
Final Grade: B-
“Boy Kills World” is in theaters now.
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