This week, after months and months of anticipation and hype, the trailer for Eli Roth’s adaptation of the video game Borderlands dropped with some good and some not-so-good response.
As this debate was going all over social media…this trailer quietly snuck in and punched us in the face:
The film, Boy Kills World, is the debut feature film of director Moritz Mohr, who co-wrote the screenplay. It’s backed by some impressive producers like Roy Lee and Sam Raimi. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2023, but this is it’s first U.S. release.
Boy Kills World a good old-fashioned revenge story set in a dystopian civilization complete with a powerful family of overlords killing off the little people for entertainment in good old Hunger Games, Squid Game or The Purge fashion. “Boy” was left him death and mute when his family was murdered, and he’s been seeking revenge. Fast forward, he’s now a well-trained badass with strong will and even stronger imagination.
The cast is fronted by Bill Skarsgård in a nonverbal (mostly) role. It also features an ensemble cast of Jessica Rothe, Famke Janssen, Andrew Koji, Isaiah Mustafa, Yayan Ruhian, Sharlito Copley and Michelle Dockery, just to start. I really like Skarsgård as an actor, because he brings a certain level of crazy to everything he does. It looks like he’s having the time of his life here, as well.
But credit where due. Its Boy’s inner voice in that trailer that steals the show. It’s done by prolific voice actor H. Jon Benjamin, the man behind Sterling Archer in Archer and Bob in Bob’s Burgers. Voice talent is always underrated. Truth be told I think the Borderlands movie might work better with the actual voice of Claptrap (currently Jim Foronda ) over a big name actor like Jack Black. I enjoy Black in most things, but the voice just isn’t what I’m looking for, here.
As for Boy Kills World, it looks like the winning formula we need. Original story, crazy fun acting, over-the-top mayhem just because, and lack of too much hyping before the release.
Whether of not it’s as fun as the trailer makes out is always a big if. Yet, it dragged me in, and I’m looking forward to the ride.
Boy Kills World hits, kicks, stabs, and likely bludgeons theatres on April 26.
