They Will Kill You
Secret Movie Series
Cinemark
North Haven
March 23, 2026
Do you want to know a secret? At least once a month you can buy a five-dollar ticket to see a film at Cinemark without knowing the title or genre of the film. The Secret Movie Series happens on Monday evenings. The ticket holder is privy to only the rating and the run time of the film at the time of purchase.
I have been attending this series nearly every month since 2023 at the North Haven location. The type of films shown have ranged from summer blockbuster sequels (like 2025’s “Jurassic World Rebirth”) to tearjerkers based on a true story (like 2023’s “Sing Sing”) to watch-through-your- fingers horror films (like this year’s “Primate”). You never know exactly what you’re going to get, though there is always some discussion on social media as to what the film might be based on the rating, run time, and what is scheduled to be released soon since often the film that is shown ends up being one that will be released in theaters that Friday.
Last night’s film ended up being “They Will Kill You,” an action/horror/comedy mash-up that kept the audience gasping and laughing in equal amounts. Directed and cowritten by Kirill Sokolov along with Alex Litvak, it officially opens in theaters this Friday. In fact, a poster of it hung in the lobby showing its star holding a pretty big knife and looking like she was ready to fight back. And fight back she did.
The poster also stated that the film was produced by Andy Muschietti, the director of “IT,” the 2017 adaptation of the seminal Stephen King novel. Muschietti also directed the 2019 sequel to that film, “IT: Chapter Two” and co-created the recent HBO series that expands upon that universe called “IT: Welcome to Derry.” Anyone who has experienced any of those projects would know what to expect with this film when they saw that he was involved.
But again, it was a secret, so not knowing this information beforehand left the viewer on this evening with a blank slate. That slate soon became filled with a story that begins with a woman who thinks she is starting a job as housekeeper in a fancy high-rise called The Virgil in New York City. She soon realizes she is in a fight for her life as well as the life of her long-lost sister, whom we find out she has been searching for.
The film begins with a quote credited to Benvenuto Cellini: “When the poor give to the rich, the devil laughs.” This quote ends up foreshadowing much of what is to come. We initially meet young sisters Asia and Maria Reaves ten years earlier than the happenings of the rest of the film as they are escaping the clutches of their abusive father. Bad decisions lead them individually to The Virgil as adults, but is The Virgil their worst decision yet? Asia, played with vengeful vigor by Zazie Beetz, is barely able to shower and get a few hours sleep when the chaos ensues (but not before a clever title drop in her bathroom of all places). The rich patrons of this mysterious building all seem to want to hurt her, but little do they know that Asia’s time in prison and years of bottled-up anger and guilt have made her more than adept at fighting back.
Those fight scenes are way over the top and yet somehow just right for a film such as this that veers into video game territory at times, causing many in the audience to yell “oof” and “eww” as much as they laughed out loud. The influence of Sam Raimi in the gorier scenes (especially one with a wandering body part) and Quentin Tarantino in the Kill Bill-esque fight scenes is apparent, though Sokolov adds many a 360-degree camera turn, sharp angle shots, and other unique touches that keep it all exciting and often fresh.
Much of the film’s excitement and freshness also come from its stars, especially Beetz, who has shown her ability to swing for the fence previously in films like “Joker,” “Deadpool 2,” and “Bullet Train.” Her sister Maria is played by Myha’la, known most famously for her role in the HBO series “Industry” but who has also made her mark in another horror/comedy, 2022’s “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies.” Adding to the fun and freakiness are film veterans Heather Graham as Sharon, one of The Virgil’s mean and fighting elite, and Patricia Arquette as Lily, the building manager with a mighty big secret. Women rule in this film, both as the heroes and the villains, a horror trend that seems to be gaining momentum in recent years much to this reporter’s delight.
And while this film at times treads familiar ground, it was a fun and action-packed 90-some-odd minutes that flew by and left me with a smile on my face. I won’t give away the big secrets or surprises, but I will say if you are someone who likes a gory ridiculously rowdy film full of action, this one is for you. And if you really like secrets and surprises, check out this series as well.
“They Will Kill You” opens in theaters this Friday March 27. The next Secret Movie is scheduled for Monday March 30. Tickets for both can be found via the Cinemark website or app.
