Going into Kirill Sokolov’s They Will Kill You, the comparisons to Ready or Not were almost certainly going to be at the forefront of the conversation. However, by blending two familiar ideas of Satanic cults and “eating the rich” into a frankly bonkers script, with some of the most outrageous action sequences you’re likely to see all year, They Will Kill You separates itself enough to be an instant crowd pleaser.

As well as directing, Sokolov makes his major Hollywood debut here and co-writes alongside Alex Litvak. This action packed, blood soaked ride follows recently released convict Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) as she takes a maid’s job at The Virgil, a swanky hotel in New York City that houses only the most elite. Of course, nothing is as it seems. The building hides a terrifying secret, with its occupants part of a cult that worships Satan, offering up human sacrifices in exchange for immortality. Asia is next on the menu and now faces a fight for survival as they hunt her down.

To add insult to injury, Asia only takes the maid’s job to track down her younger sister Maria (Myha’la), after receiving information that she had been working in the building and is now missing. Adding to the family drama, Asia abandoned her ten years earlier, leaving her in the care of their abusive father, so has a lot to make up for.

While the premise is very similar to that of Ready or Not, particularly on the eat the rich front, They Will Kill You quickly distinguishes itself as its own thing by descending into complete chaos. The intense, cartoonish action sequences are choreographed extremely well, with several standout stunts that are genuinely pleasing on the eye. They come packed with crash bang wallop sound effects and Niagara Falls levels of blood from the outset, which instantly pulls you in.

The film is also acutely self aware of what it is, never taking itself too seriously and often leaning further into comedy than you might expect. That tone is helped along by a big, silly score that fits perfectly with what’s going on and adds even more laughs along the way.

Cinematographer Isaac Bauman is clearly given free rein, creating some incredibly striking shots and making full use of the different floors of the hotel, bringing the vibrant colours to life. The mix of varied camera angles and slow motion is a really nice touch that helps immerse you in the world of The Virgil.

The character development of the two leads is noticeably undercooked, which means the family drama doesn’t land as strongly as it should. The emotional beats Sokolov is going for don’t quite hit, and with more time spent on Asia and Maria’s backstory outside of a single flashback, it could have elevated the whole thing.

That said, Zazie Beetz and Myha’la do what they can with the material, trying to bring that emotional weight to the sisterhood, while still delivering some properly kick ass moments along the way. The supporting cast of Satanists also deserve a lot of credit. Patricia Arquette is fantastic as the cult leader, with Tom Felton and Heather Graham the other standouts.

They Will Kill You is undeniably silly, ridiculous, and at times just plain stupid, with a story that lacks a real killer punch, but it is still undeniably fun. There’s a bait and switch that’s worth sticking around for and a climax that will linger in the memory. It asks you to buy into its absurd nature, but if you do, it’s bound to go down a storm.