TIFF 2023: Boy Kills World Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

In an era in which hyper violent revenge films with a comedic crutch have become increasingly more popular (Deadpool, Bullet Train), something like this was inevitable. First time feature film director Moritz Mohr’s Boy Kills World features an impressive cast and crew headlined by leads Bill Skarsgård, Famke Janssen, Jessica Rothe, Brett Gelman, Yahya Ruhian, and even producer credits to Sam Raimi. Taking place in a hyper stylized world the film follows Skarsgård’s “Boy” as he embarks on a years-long journey for revenge.

The film opens with a comic book style animated intro to set up the film world. Its dystopian setting is a strange one, ran by viscous ruler in Hilda von der Koy (Janssen), who runs a yearly event called “The Culling” where her goons roundup several anti-state dissidents and slaughter them in front of the entire nation. Meanwhile, out in the jungles, Boy is being trained by a great Shaman (Ruhian) to one day enact revenge on Hilda for killing his family several years ago. For as long as he can remember, he has been training with the Shaman. This extensive training is displayed in traditional montage form, showcasing very impressive martial arts combat and hand to hand, and stick to hand, and rock to hand, fighting that molds him into a downright killing machine. 

It is important to note that not only does our lead lack the ability to speak, but he is also deaf. There is a continuous voice over done by Skarsgård to deliver to us the internal dialogue of the character. This gives the writers and filmmakers some room to take Boy in many different directions. Much of the internal monologue is played off for comedic purposes, and while there are definitely laughs there, much of it missed the mark. It often towed the fine line between giving off a light chuckle, and landing flat splat on the floor. 

Much of the film aside from the action lacks in execution. The vision for the world within this film is akin to a late stage community. While the tone is well balanced throughout, it still isn’t very captivating at all. The over-the-top cartoonish characters have become all too common in this subgenre, and while at times they provide sensationalized humor, there is often a bland annoyance that comes with this type of character if the performance and writing just isn’t quite right.

Onto the goods. Boy Kills World is relentlessly action packed and it knocks it out of the park when it comes to executing its clearly difficult combat sequences. Featuring some of the most daring camerawork in recent memory, drones were literally used to fly through the scenes as characters engage in all sorts of close quarters combat. It was never not thrilling when it came to these moments. They reject conventionalism when it comes to some of these sequences, allowing for a full fledged unrelenting experience that sees a shredded Skarsgård engage in some hard-R rated combat. It’s exceptionally violent and for the most part, that works in the film’s favor. 

Boy Kills World has its moments… It is incredibly well-choreographed and the action sequences are top notch, with some inventive kills that are sure to make many squirm. Aside from the thrills, it is pretty familiar stuff that sometimes teeters a fine line between decent and not so good. 

*still courtesy of VVS Films*

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Brennan Dubé

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