The Dolph Lundgren Overlooked Horror On Streaming Full Of Demons
Spooky season is just around the corner, and we have just the Dolph Lundgren movie for you. We’re talking about Don’t Kill It (available on Peacock), which is a little bit Evil Dead, and a little bit Joshua Tree in its delivery. This low-budget gore-fest is not only excessively violent, but also completely tongue-in-cheek, making it one of those must-see movies that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Dolph Lundgren’s horror comedy Don’t Kill It is streaming on Peacock.
Don’t Kill It is a film about a demon hunter named Jebediah Woodley who finds himself in a small Mississippi town after a series of gruesome murders occur over a short period of time. Though investigators are reluctant to consider the notion that evil spirits may be orchestrating the murders, Woodley has reason to believe that he’s searching for the very demon that he had a run-in with when he was a child.
Dolph Lundgren, who is well known for his intimidating kill counts in past action movies, approaches Don’t Kill It with the same level of explosive ruthlessness, but he’s clearly channeling inspiration from Bruce Campbell in this action-packed, demon slaying masterpiece.
What happens next, and throughout this Dolph Lundgren horror film can only be described as a jaw-dropping, but highly entertaining game of “musical corpses.”
What Dolph Lundgren’s Woodley knows that investigators don’t is that the killer demon is quick to possess whoever kills it, so it can continue to carry out its homicidal rampage. Though he’s doubted by the local precinct at first because he mysteriously shows up after the murders are reported, he gains the trust of FBI agent Evelyn Pierce (Kristina Klebe) who is investigating a possible domestic terrorism angle before he arrives.
But when Woodley tells Pierce to ask witnesses about the killer’s eyes, she notices that that they are jet black, which confirms his suspicions that they’re dealing with the same demon that he encountered years ago.
Critics overwhelmingly agree that Don’t Kill It is one of Dolph Lundgren’s more entertaining recent efforts, and praise him for his self-awareness.
What happens next, and throughout this Dolph Lundgren horror film can only be described as a jaw-dropping, but highly entertaining game of “musical corpses.” The constant tension that Don’t Kill It boasts is centered on the fact that whoever kills the demon becomes its next host. In other words, in order to successfully subdue the demon, whoever kills it also has to kill themselves before pulling the trigger.
From here on in, viewers have the pleasure of witnessing a fast-paced cat and mouse game as the demon hops from host to host as Dolph Lundgren’s Woodley tries to not only restore peace in small community, but also clear his name because death seems to follow him wherever he goes. If this doesn’t sound like a funny movie to you, then we strongly advise looking up the trailer, because Don’t Kill It has no shortage of violence, and it’s heightened to comical proportions.
Despite Don’t Kill It’s modest budget of less than $1 million, it performed well on the critical front, and current boasts a 93 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Given its limited run, we don’t know how well it performed at the domestic box office, but it grossed $8,196 in international markets.
Critics overwhelmingly agree that Don’t Kill It is one of Dolph Lundgren’s more entertaining recent efforts, and praise him for his self-awareness. Mike Mendez’s direction also received a considerable amount of praise for producing a film that “has its tongue planted firmly in cheek and doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t.” Treading the line between horror and comedy isn’t always easy to accomplish, but Don’t Kill It accomplishes just that, and in spades.
Don’t Kill It was so well-received upon its limited release, that Dolph Lundgren has gone on record suggesting that he’d be open for a sequel under certain conditions. Given how low-budget the film was, both Lundgren and Mendez know that they struck gold with this serious-yet-silly film, but want to take things to the next level by having better funding and resources at their disposal.
As of now, there is nothing set in stone, but Mendez has suggested that Don’t Kill It simply showed us a moment in time for Jebediah Woodley, hinting that there is potential to explore adventures that took place before the events this film, as well as after.
It’s also worth noting that this Dolph Lundgren film was left open-ended, hinting at a possible sequel. Though a Don’t Kill It sequel isn’t currently in development, it’s clearly a fun and violent movie that could very well be the next horror comedy franchise that we’ve been waiting for.
