Boy Kills World: Jack of all trades masters none

If you crave something different, something that dares to be audacious and unapologetically violent, then prepare to be swept away by the chaotic, messy and somewhat lacklustre movie, 'Boy Kills World.' 

The story of the movie is quite straightforward. It is a surreal action film centred around Boy, a deaf individual with a vivid imagination. After his family is killed, a mysterious shaman trains him to suppress his childlike fantasies and transform into a lethal weapon.

The unnamed boy, played by Bill Skarsgård, was rendered deaf and mute by the oppressive regime that also killed his mother and little sister, and mutilated him by cutting his tongue. Rescued by a shaman, played by Yayan Ruhian, he is transformed into a lethal operative with a singular mission: to eliminate Hilda Van Der Koy.

A flawed plot

To transform 'Boy Kills World' into the ambitious action film it aspired to be requires more than just a fascination with kung-fu movies and video games. It needed a clear, decisive roadmap, strong world-building, and distinctive character design. 

Its story also struggles from being too brutal for a lighthearted action and too silly for a serious, blood-soaked feature. It blends elements from the gaming world and hyper violent, goofy '90s action movies, failing to bridge these two concepts together.

The film sprinkles in pieces of the same backstory throughout the film, which takes away from its structure and coherence.

One of its key missing elements was worldbuilding. Without any context of the culture or backstory, it plunges you into the plot. Even Jessica Rothe—an impressive presence since her role in the 'Happy Death Day' franchise—cannot rescue the film from its poor storytelling.

The story pacing felt rushed at times and painfully slow at others. This inconsistency was a result of Boy's struggle with communication, which led the plot towards far too many detours.

Not much to show for its talent

The movie had the potential to shine, thanks to actor Skarsgård at its lead, but failed to showcase his full capabilities. The way the film was set up, it did not allow the lead actor to leave a mark with the kind of power someone would expect from an action hero.

Tyler Burton Smith's and Arend Remmers' script fails to clearly convey this through a cohesive narrative. Instead of guiding the viewer, it leaves them as confused as Boy—not in an engaging, immersive way, but rather making the film feel like a patchwork quilt of mismatched pieces.

Another underwhelming aspect of this movie is the narration, even though it served as Boy's voice, as he himself cannot speak. 

Comedian H. Jon Benjamin—best known for 'Archer'—takes up this role with his clever, twisted monologue. Instead of taking a more humorous approach that could have elevated the film, he takes on a more subdued and sarcastic style that does not do the character justice.

The narration style can be a perfect fit for films and shows only when the writers master the voice's inner cynicism. Unfortunately, for this film, the writers lacked the touch of a funnier, comedic virtuoso.

Exceptionally gory visuals

This movie marks the feature debut of German-born director Moritz Mohr, who draws inspiration from a wide range of sources: video games, graphic novels, 'The Hunger Games,' 'The Purge,' the 'John Wick' franchises, and the extravagant action sequences of Matthew Vaughn. However, the film surpasses them all in its level of delirious violence.

As he hunts down his enemies, Boy slashes, gouges, and decapitates with relentless ferocity. His bare-knuckle punches, delivered with split-second precision, captivate the camera. He wields machine guns with the skill of a ballistic surgeon and transforms his entire body into a spinning, lethal battering ram with each kick.

While action is central to 'Boy Kills World,' it's not the only point. The film excels in crafting a toxic, cartoonish fascist world. The astonishing violence depicted is essential to overcoming the film's portrayal of evil.

During the frenzied action scenes, the cameras sweep over, under, and through dense crowds of heavily armed, often faceless henchmen. Limbs break, bodies fly, and flesh explodes in sprays of blood. The dizzying, sensational depiction of violence in Boy's fight scenes is indistinguishable from a John Wick film.