“They Will Kill You” arrives in theaters this Friday, but attendees at this week’s Scream Unseen at AMC were treated to an early look at the ultra-violent, high-octane horror-comedy from New Line Cinema and Nocturna. Landing just one week after the sequel to “Ready or Not,” comparisons are inevitable; however, it quickly ups the ante with the sword-wielding, blood-sprayed energy of “Kill Bill.”The film stars Zazie Beetz (“Atlanta”) as Asia Reaves, a young woman who takes a housekeeping job at The Virgil—a mysterious New York City high-rise notorious for its wealthy tenants and a string of unsolved disappearances. After missing a warning message scrawled on her bathroom mirror that reads, “They Will Kill You,” Asia quickly realizes the building’s occupants are hunting her. While the premise mirrors “Ready or Not,” the stakes here are different: these residents aren’t playing for sport or ancestral debt; they are playing for immortality.Beetz is a certified badass, portraying a protagonist who can truly hold her own thanks to a troubled past revealed through several flashback chapters throughout the film. Although the ensemble cast features heavy hitters like Patricia Arquette (“Severance”), Heather Graham (“Austin Powers”), and Tom Felton (“Harry Potter”), it’s Beetz who commands the screen. Her performance strikes a vital balance between raw strength and the emotional weight of her true motives for entering The Virgil.The film’s success relies heavily on the craft behind the camera. The production strikes a refreshing balance between digital and practical effects, lending an authenticity to the film’s gore. In one standout moment, a practical eyeball rolls through the hidden corridors of the building’s walls—a sequence that, despite its ridiculousness, never feels cheap. This is bolstered by phenomenal fight choreography; every action set-piece feels unique, avoiding the repetitive slasher tropes in favor of stylized, Tarantino-esque combat with plenty of blood and gore to boot.(Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)At a lean 90 minutes, “They Will Kill You” is a ride moviegoers won’t want to exit. It is a darkly humorous, action-packed, and thoroughly blood-soaked film that knows exactly what it wants to be. By nodding to its influences without shamelessly ripping them off, it delivers a standout genre performance from Zazie Beetz that fans will likely be discussing for years to come.