Boy Kills World – Reinvigorating The Action Revenge Comedy

For our TIFF 2023 review of Boy Kills World, click here.

From a distance, Boy Kills World resembles a well-trodden action movie that follows a singular figure embarking on a path of revenge after experiencing a life-altering event and not stopping at all costs to achieve some form of justice. In truth, Boy Kills World is all of these things. However, what sets it apart from being another generic outing in this genre is its ability to support its bloody narrative with stylistic humor that enhances its overall entertainment value.

Boy Kills World is director and co-writer, Moritz Mohr’s, feature film debut and follows Boy (Skarsgard), who after having lost his entire family to the maniacal Hilda Van Der Koy (Janssen) and her siblings, who to retain their power enact an annual ritualistic selection and murder of enemies of the state known as “The Culling.” As Boy is left with nothing, that void is quickly filled by a mysterious Shaman (Yayan Ruhian) who agrees to train him in order to become an instrument of death and vengeance to bring down the entire Van Der Koy empire once and for all. What follows is an eclectic journey of murder and mayhem that relies on energetic cinematography, within a surprising budget, that highlights well-choreographed fight scenes encapsulated in an increasingly twisted Game-of-Death-esque climb to the film’s final boss.

But this is nowhere near the film’s strongest asset. That role is filled by H. John Benjamin who serves as Boy’s inner monologue which the audience hears throughout the entire film as he interprets the friends and villains he encounters and leads an ongoing conversation with an imaginary portrayal of his lost little sister. Through this continuous inner monologue, the film’s humor shines as one of the best characters alongside Skarsgard’s mute acting and a host of supporting cast featuring Brett Gelman, Sharlto Copley, Andrew Koji, Isaiah Mustafa, and more. At first, the monologuing can be jarring because of the preconception some audiences may have of Benjamin, many will easily find themselves hearing it and subconsciously comparing it to his past work. However, it’s his familiar tone and wit that strongly contributes to the film’s comical running gags. One of the best examples of this is through Boy’s inability to read Bennie’s (Mustafa), one of his companions, lipa. Each time they engage with one another, his inner voice interprets anything he says as quite literally, gibberish. This gag only becomes more and more humorous as the film took on a more serious tone.

In the end, Boy Kills World might not seek to reinvent the action-revenge comedy subgenre, but what it does within the confines of that space is something to be appreciated. For those looking for a simple theater experience, the film delivers the exact amount of ass-kicking and absurdity that can be enjoyed on the big screen (though it can be similarly appreciated once it arrives on streaming platforms). While it delivers a familiar narrative, it offers some fun plot twists along the way, albeit, one that might be slightly telegraphed. That being said, it still provides more than enough intriguing moments. This mixed with pitch-perfect humor makes for an amusing product resembling something living amongst a John Wick and Hunger Games fever dream.

still courtesy of VVS Films

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