'Boy Kills World' Is A Killer Time
2024 is a good year for action movies. First Monkey Man, and now this. Boy Kills World is funny, bloody, and thrilling. It's a picture that contains unexpected twists and some crazy set pieces. It's a mixture of The Karate Kid and John Wick. The action is dazzling. The camera swoops around its subjects during many of the fights, showing off what these performers can do. It's close to the level of The Matrix, where you can tell many of the stunts are done by the actors themselves. However, when the camera glides behind their back, it could be a stuntman combining two shots into one. Either way, it's impressive.
If there is a narrative I'm tired of, it's the revenge one. It's played in almost every action movie. I get it. It's a strong motivator for the protagonist. Boy Kills World makes note that it lampoons action revenge films while being one on its own. It's self-aware, like Wes Craven's Scream. Boy Kills World isn't a genre-bender but a funny movie with some mighty fine action.
When he was a child, Boy's (Bill Skarsgård) sister was killed by an Autocrat named Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen). To exact vengeance, Boy trains throughout his childhood with a Shaman (Yayan Ruhian) to become a weapon aimed at destroying Hilda Van Der Koy. Anyone who stands in his way will be killed. The narrative is pretty cut and dry, with the exception of a surprising plot twist that turns everything in the story on its head.
Boy Kills World is a pretty simple action film that uses the rise of Autocracy to fuel Boy's fire. It's a story about the oppressed pushing back against their oppressors. Boy is a deaf protagonist. He wasn't always deaf. The Van Der Koys changed that. The way we can hear the thoughts going on in Boy's head is through narration. H. Jon Benjamin plays the voice of Boy. It's an odd casting choice, as all I can think about is Archer whenever HJB is speaking. I expected him to yell "LANA" at any time during the movie. He's not exactly as tough sounding as Steve Ritchie (Mortal Kombat's original announcer) is, which is odd as Ritchie as the inspiration for Boy's voice. Why not get someone cooler like Christopher Judge or Keith David? Who cares if they're black and Boy is white? Darth Vader was voiced by James Earl Jones, who was a white character after all. If it works, it works.
The film has a comedic presence that draws attention to the fact that it's almost a parody of action films. There are times when the Boy's voice will draw attention to his thoughts with humor that doesn't feel forced or break from the tension. Despite the comedic angle of the film, it tackles serious themes of a militarized nation hunting the poor. The movie weaves from comedy to drama almost seamlessly. There's some dark stuff that happens in this movie.
To bring that darkness to the screen is cinematographer Peter Matjasko. The look of this film isn't dissimilar from other action films, where a harsh contrast ratio is used to convey the movie's gritty feel. The lighting has harsh oranges and blues that would make me swear I was watching Monkey Man. Both movies look so much alike that you could get confused between the two.
Boy Kills World is loaded with action from beginning to end, with little time to rest. Thank goodness, as the film keeps itself engaging from one setpiece to the next while avoiding feeling shallow. The presence of Boy's deceased sister haunts him. Her memory is the heart of Boy. It's like when we lose our loved ones. At times, we can hear them talking to us when they're not really there. The sister angle is familiar, but who cares? Not every movie has to be different. Just creative enough to feel different.
Boy Kills World is a thematically dark picture that feels like Monkey Man if it was set in the future. It's about a victim of a police state taking revenge. The odds are against him, but our protagonist is strong enough to take them all on. It's an excuse to watch a film that features a high body count. When the bodies hit the floor, the choreography is gorgeous. Although Boy doesn't speak in the film, you can see that Bill Skarsgård put in his work. He has quite the six-pack and kicks a lot of butt.
There's an amazing opening fight and intense shootout that might not rank among the best, but it comes close. Boy Kills World is among one of the most enjorable movies I've seen this year. It's filled with enough blood to make you get grossed out or giddy. One scene I particularly love involves a single brass knuckle with a handgun attached to it. If you need your action movie fix, see Boy Kills World. It'll have plenty of fun moments to keep you laughing and gasping.
