Boy (That's his name) witnesses the murder of his family at the hands of goons who work for the dysfunctional crime family who run a dystopian city at an unspecified location and date. Boy is rescued by the Shaman, who subjects him to a brutal regime of martial arts training, so that he grows up to be a lethal killing machine (Bill Skarsgard), whose sole purpose is revenge.
So far, so seen-it-all-before, so yada-yada-yada. Boy Kills World, however, brings enough originality to the old tropes that the viewer is happy to go along with things as they take increasingly-bizarre turns. To start with, Boy is a deaf-mute. He can read lips, and hears a voice-over in his head. He's also haunted by the ghost of his younger sister, who acts as his guide and moral conscience.
Naturally, he embarks on his elaborate revenge, leaving a trail of bodies killed in inventive and extremely bloody ways. There's a lot of John Wick, and a big slice of The Running Man. There are also a surprising number of laughs, with great comedic performances from Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Sharlto Copley and Andrew Koji. Gotta love June27 as well.
As you'd expect, there's also a twist at the end, but it's twisty enough to pack a punch.
This is not high art. This is not a film that rewards analysis. Nothing about it is outstanding, and its plot-holes have plot-holes. If, however, you can switch your brain off and go long for the ride, it's a wild and satisfying one.
