As a cinephile, “Boy Kills World” seemed tailor-made for my tastes—a high-concept action extravaganza boasting meta-humor, helmed by Sam Raimi, narrated by H. Jon Benjamin, and choreographed by Dawid Szatarski with a dash of The Raid’s Yayan Ruhian thrown in. It’s the kind of film that typically has me hooked from the get-go. Yet, as often happens in the world of cinema, that little word “should” creeps in, setting the stage for disappointment.
Despite its multitude of layered concepts, “Boy Kills World” at its core should be a visceral, blood-soaked action spectacle, starring Bill Skarsgård as a relentless avenger wreaking havoc with fists, firearms, and whatever makeshift weapons come his way. Skarsgård portrays Boy, a young man who, both deaf and mute, adopts the inner voice of his favorite video game announcer (voiced by Benjamin) as he embarks on a quest to avenge his mother and sister, murdered by a tyrannical family.
After rigorous jungle training under The Shaman (Ruhian), Boy sets out on his vengeance crusade, joining forces with rebels while leaving a trail of dismemberment and carnage in his wake. Set in a dystopian future city ruled by the oppressive Van der Koy family, led by Hilda (Famke Jansen), the narrative also introduces the enigmatic June 27 (Jessica Rothe), donning a motorcycle helmet and overseeing the family’s security.
The story unfolds through Boy’s internal monologue and hallucinations of his deceased sister, affording Benjamin ample opportunity to shine as the voice of Boy’s consciousness—a whimsical yet vengeful guide through the chaos. It’s a captivating concept, bolstered by Benjamin’s pitch-perfect delivery, offering exposition, humor, and meta-commentary on the action genre. However, the screenplay’s unraveling and loss of cleverness by the climax leave much to be desired.
Visually, “Boy Kills World” is a feast for the eyes, boasting a world built more on aesthetics than logic. While visually striking, the film’s over-the-top elements, from cereal mascot battles to high-tech helmets, offer spectacle but lack coherence in execution. The abundance of imaginative ideas is both a boon and a burden, overwhelming the narrative and detracting from potential payoffs.
Unfortunately, the film’s action sequences, the cornerstone of any blood-soaked thriller, fall short of expectations. Director Moritz Mohr’s frenetic camerawork detracts from the impact, rendering the fights chaotic and disjointed. While perhaps intended to convey a childlike perspective, the result is a jumble of limbs and missed opportunities for visceral thrills.
While “Boy Kills World” may have aspired to greatness, it ultimately falls short, a victim of its own ambitious concepts and lackluster execution. It’s a missed opportunity, leaving audiences with a sense of what could have been—a thrilling rollercoaster ride that, much like its protagonist, fails to deliver its intended impact.
