Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extremely bloody adventure is more style than substance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Boy Kills World
What's the Story?
BOY KILLS WORLD is a dystopian thriller set in a world where, once a year, there's a public "Culling" in which the ruling family dynasty—the Van Der Koys, who are led by Hilda (Famke Janssen)—kills dissidents who are opposed to their violently controlled regime. A Deaf tween who's called "Boy" (played by Nicholas and Cameron Crovetti as a child) witnesses his mother and little sister's execution but is rescued by a resistance fighter known as the shaman (Yayan Ruhian). The shaman trains Boy to become a finely honed weapon with one purpose: avenging the murder of his family and taking down Hilda Van Der Koy and her family. As an adult, Boy (Bill Skarsgård) decides on the day of the Culling to seize the moment and enact his revenge.
Is It Any Good?
More style than substance, this graphically bloody thriller shows promise but underdelivers. Skarsgård tries to carry Boy Kills World with his physical acting, using his entire body to convey a wide spectrum of human emotions. And the world-building starts off intriguing but isn't developed enough to be more than subpar. The movie's most compelling aspect is the relationship between Boy and the ghost of his little sister (Quinn Copeland), who acts as Boy's best friend, cheerleader, and conscience.
The movie marks director Mortiz Mohr's feature-length debut, and it aims to be on the same level as Kill Bill or John Wick, but it tries too hard to be too many things. Despite the familiar cast and presence of veteran martial artists Ruhian and Andrew Koji, the jokes don't quite land, and the big plot twist is foreshadowed just enough to make it dissatisfying. Co-stars Brett Gelman and Michelle Dockery are momentarily amusing as two Van Der Koy siblings, Sharlto Copley gets a dark laugh as a brother-in-law who's forced to be the family's PR spokesman, and Jessica Rothe is memorable as the one family assassin who can match Boy's skills. But for all of its frenetic fight scenes, Boy Kills World drags in places, making it seem longer than its 115-minute runtime. An interesting idea that isn't cleverly enough developed, this is ultimately a miss for all but die-hard fans of the bloody revenge genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the amount of violence in Boy Kills World. How does it compare to what you've seen in other action movies? What impact does seeing this kind of violence have on teens?
Why do you think revenge-themed movies are popular? Are Boy's actions justified because of what was done to him? Do unethical/immoral laws need to be followed?
What do you think of the world-building in the story? What do you know about the society in which Boy lives?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 26, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : May 28, 2024
- Cast : Bill Skarsgård , Jessica Rothe , Michelle Dockery , Famke Janssen
- Director : Moritz Mohr
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Run time : 115 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence and gore throughout, language, some drug use and sexual references
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate