Kill Your Lover – Movie Review (3/5)

KILL YOUR LOVER is a new body horror movie with a relationship drama at the heart of the plot. It’s both visually stunning and emotionally violent. Read our full Kill Your Lover movie review here!

KILL YOUR LOVER is a horror movie where body horror meets relationship drama and the result is greater than the sum of those two parts. It plays out almost entirely in one apartment, which reminded me of other efficient horror movies.

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The runtime is just around 80 minutes and it holds you captive. Much like the characters in this story are held captive by their grossly dysfunctional relationship. Definitely worth checking out.

Continue reading our Kill Your Lover movie review below. Find it on VOD from June 7, 2024.

Emotional dysfunction turns physical

In Kill Your Lover, we meet Dakota (Paige Gilmour) and Axel (Shane Quigley-Murphy). We see them fall in love during flashbacks, but the horror story is playing out in the present. The truth is that Dakota and Axel’s relationship is a toxic mess.

Dakota knows it, her friend knows it and can only agree with everything Dakota says when practicing her “break-up speech” on her. The only person who refuses to recognize it is Axel.

As soon as Dakota even approaches an attempt to break up with Axel, she’ll see just how toxic they have become. The emotional dysfunction has turned physical for Axel.

Visually grotesque in the best way

The idea of ending their relationship makes Axel physically ill. Not only is he retching and throwing up weird goo, but he is also sprouting grotesque black veins. Finally, he’s excreting a strange sticky liquid that results in actual burns.

When he touches Dakota, her skin burns and what appears to be chemical burns show up on her body. It’s not grotesque for him to claim he loves her while also hurting her by holding on. Yet, he cannot give up their relationship.

He isn’t happy either and in flashbacks, we see how they went from being free and happy to him changing everything about her. She is a shadow of who she was. But so is he.

They are desperately bad for one another and you will realize that it cannot end well for both of them. Of course, the title does also reveal this… but who will make it?!

Watch Kill Your Lover on VOD or in select theaters

Kill Your Lover is directed & written by Alix Austin & Keir Siewer. The two make for an amazing filmmaker duo. I would also highly recommend watching the end credits with behind-the-scenes clips.

This movie is obviously a passion project and it shows immense potential from Alix Austin and Keir Siewer as writers and directors. There’s an honesty and intensity that you only get with independent filmmaking and I love it!

Also, the performances by Paige Gilmour (Happy Gals) and Shane Quigley Murphy (Vikings: Valhalla, Outlander) are breathtaking. You feel their pain and anger as well as their initial love.

Try not to know too much in advance and just check it out. It is definitely worth your time. Also, the runtime of just 77 minutes, makes for an intense ride!

Kill Your Lover is in select theaters, on digital platforms, and on VOD from June 7, 2024.

Details

Directors: Alix Austin & Keir Siewer
Writers: Alix Austin & Keir Siewer
Cast: Paige Gilmour, Shane Quigley Murphy, May Kelly, Chloe Wigmore & Joshua Whincup