July 20, 2026

Sinister Sanctuaries: 'They Will Kill You's Blood-Soaked Battle for Survival'

Sinister Sanctuaries: 'They Will Kill You's Blood-Soaked Battle for Survival'

In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica plunge into the chaotic world of *They Will Kill You*, a blood-soaked horror action comedy that takes the concept of a hotel to a whole new level—one where it serves as a temple for a Satanic cult. The film kicks off with Asia Reeves, played by the talented Zazie Beetz, and her younger sister Maria fleeing from their abusive father, setting the stage for a tense and emotional ride. After a fateful encounter leads Asia to prison, she emerges a decade later, only to find herself embroiled in a terrifying battle against immortal cult members at the eerie Virgil hotel, where human sacrifices are the norm.

Chris and Jessica discuss the relentless pacing of the film, where Asia's fight for survival becomes a thrilling game of cat and mouse, filled with gore and unexpected twists. Zazie Beetz's performance as Asia is highlighted for its depth, showcasing her character's resilience and emotional struggles, particularly in her complicated reunion with her sister. The hosts delve into the film's striking visuals, from the opulent yet creepy hotel design to the stunning cinematography that enhances the tension throughout.

With a haunting score by Carlos Rafael Rivera that lingers long after the credits roll, the film's technical aspects receive high praise. However, Chris and Jessica acknowledge that this wild ride isn't for the faint-hearted or those averse to over-the-top gore. They conclude that *They Will Kill You* is a fun, gory experience that caters to a specific audience, ultimately awarding it a score of 7 out of 10. Join Chris and Jessica as they unpack this outrageous slasher flick that delivers exactly what horror action comedy fans crave.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.

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Chris: How about this for a thought? What if a hotel

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wasn't just a place to stay, but a literal

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temple for a Satanic cult?

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That's the premise we're diving into today.

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And let me tell you, it's as wild as it

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sounds.

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Jessica: Oh, I already know where this is going and

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I'm excited. This movie sounds like it's

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going to be a ride.

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Chris: It really is. The movie is called they Will

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Kill youl and it's this blood soaked, high

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octane horror action comedy that doesn't hold

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back. It's one of those films that's

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so over the top, you kind of have to respect

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it for just going all in.

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Jessica: Okay, so let's set the stage. What's the

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basic premise here?

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Chris: Sure. The story starts with Asia

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Reeves, played by Zaizie Beets,

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and her younger sister Maria. They're

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escaping from their abusive father in the

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pouring rain. It's tense, it's

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emotional, and you can feel the stakes right

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away. They make it to a convenience store,

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but their father tracks them down.

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Asia ends up shooting him, but he survives

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and things spiral from there.

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Jessica: And this is just the opening.

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Chris: Just the opening. After that,

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Asia ends up in prison while her sister is

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taken back by their father. Fast forward

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10 years and Asia is out of prison.

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Trying to rebuild her life in New York City.

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She gets a job as a maid at this historic

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high rise hotel called the Virgil.

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Jessica: Let me guess, this isn't your average

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hotel.

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Chris: Not even close. The Virgil is basically a

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fortress for a Satanic cult. The

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guests there have made some kind of deal with

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the devil and they need to make human

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sacrifices to keep up their end of the

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bargain. Asia, unfortunately, becomes their

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next target.

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Jessica: Oh, of course she does. But I'm, um, guessing

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she's not exactly the type to just roll over

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and let it happen.

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Chris: Not at all. Asia is a fighter,

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literally. She's learned to fend for herself

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in prison and she's not going down without a

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fight. What makes it even more intense is

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that the guests are immortal. So no matter

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how much damage she does, they just keep

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coming back.

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Jessica: That sounds exhausting for her and for the

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audience.

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Chris: It is, but in the best way. The

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movie is relentless and that's where the fun

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comes in. It's this constant game of cat and

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mouse, but with a lot more blood and severed

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limbs.

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Jessica: And Zeze Beets, how is she in this?

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Chris: She's phenomenal. She carries the movie.

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Asia is tough, resourceful and determined.

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But Zezi also brings a lot of depth to her.

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You really feel for her, especially when it

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comes to her relationship with her sister.

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Jessica: Speaking of the sister, does Asia ever find

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her?

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Chris: She does, but I don't want to give too much

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away. Let's hm just say their reunion is

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complicated. There's a lot of guilt and

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regret on Asia's part, and it adds an

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emotional layer to all the chaos.

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Jessica: So it's not just mindless violence.

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There's some heart in there too.

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Chris: Definitely. Don't get me wrong, the violence

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is front and center. But the movie does take

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the time to explore Asia's motivations and

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her relationships. It's not just about

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survival, it's about redemption.

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Jessica: Okay, but let's talk about the visuals.

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From what I've heard, this movie is pretty

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striking.

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Chris: Oh, absolutely. The production design is

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fantastic. The Virgil is this creepy,

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opulent hotel that feels like it has a

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million secrets. The cinematography by

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Isaacman Bauman is stunning. And the way they

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use lighting and shadows really adds to the

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tension.

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Jessica: And the score.

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Chris: Oh, the score by Carlos Rafael Rivera is

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incredible. It's intense and haunting and

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really sets the mood. It's one of those

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scores that stays with you after the movie's

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over.

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Jessica: So it sounds like the technical aspects are

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all top notch.

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Chris: They m really are. This is a movie that knows

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how to create atmosphere. It's stylish, it's

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bold, and it's not afraid to go all in.

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Jessica: But let's be real, this isn't going to be for

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everyone, right?

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Chris: Oh, definitely not. This is a movie for a

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very specific audience. If you're squeamish

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or not into over the top gore, this probably

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isn't the movie for you. But if you can

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appreciate a well choreographed, deliberately

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outrageous slasher flick, then you're in for

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a treat.

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Jessica: And the writing, does it hold up?

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Chris: For the most part, yes. The script by

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Alex Litvak and director, uh, Kirill Sokolov

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has its moments of cleverness and there are a

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few surprises along the way. It's not

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Shakespeare, but, uh, it doesn't need to be.

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Jessica: So, final verdict? Should I see this

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movie?

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Chris: If you're into horror action comedies and

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don't mind a lot of blood and guts, then yes,

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absolutely. It's a wild ride. And Zaze

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beats is worth the price of admission alone.

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Jessica: And if I'm not into that kind

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Chris: of thing, then this probably isn't the

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movie for you. But hey, not every

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movie has to be for everyone.

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Jessica: Fair enough. So what's the

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takeaway here?

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Chris: They will kill you is a film that knows its

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audience and delivers exactly what they want.

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It's gory. It's fun, and it's got a strong

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lead performance. If you go in with the right

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mindset, you'll have a blast.

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Jessica: And if not, well, there are always other

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movies.

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Chris: Exactly. But for those who are into this kind

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of thing, It's a solid 7 out of 10.

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Jessica: All right, I think I've got my answer.

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Chris: Good. Now, are you ready for the next movie

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on our list?

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Jessica: Bring it on.

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Chris: You've been listening to movies first

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available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

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iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast

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player. You can also stream on demand at

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bytes.

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Jessica: Com.

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Chris: This has been another quality podcast

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production from Bytes.

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Jessica: Com. Um.