“I love creating new worlds”: Moritz Mohr on Boy Kills World

While not for the faint of heart, Boy Kills World is about as much fun as you can have at the cinema, what with its zany blend of offbeat humour, mind-blowing stunt sequences, stomach-churning gore and a ripped, mostly shirtless, Bill Skarsgård.

Based on a short, Moritz Mohr’s feature debut imagines a dystopian future, ruled over by tyrannical matriarch Hilda Van Der Koy. Boy, a deaf-mute, has been meticulously trained by a shaman to seek revenge on Koy, responsible for killing his family. Without the power of words, Skarsgård must use masterful expressions to convey his character’s feelings, while a playful voiceover from H Jon Benjamin, gives voice to his inner thoughts. If there were any doubts the former were related to Alexander, this 1000% committed turn would quash them, as there is something of The Northman in Bill’s extreme physical transformation and intensely feral look in his eye playing Boy. Even more convincing is his execution of the action scenes, which happen at an astonishing pace with exquisite choreography and a level of realism that will make you squirm. Also seeing Michelle Dockery about as far away from Downton Abbey as is physically possible and the return of Famke Janssen to our screens is an absolute treat. A blisteringly original take on the action genre, this bloody-thirsty comedy-thriller that borrows elements of martial arts, video games, Japanese anime and graphic novels in its audacious stylised look and feel is a blast.

Moritz Mohr told us more about his movie in an in-depth chat, describing it as a fairy tale of revenge rooted in martial arts cinema and video game aesthetics, blending action and humour. Casting Skarsgård, known for his expressive acting, was crucial, especially for his role requiring physicality and emotional depth without dialogue. We also discussed pulling off some of the most extreme action scenes, including the approach to sound design and avoiding reliance on CGI. Mohr shared how much he enjoys creating new worlds, unfettered by real-world constraints and that he looks forward to future projects post-release.

Sarah Bradbury

Boy Kills World is released nationwide on 26^th April 2024.

Watch the trailer for Boy Kills World here: