Tubi has become a reliable source for horror hidden gems, so it didn’t surprise me when I found one of the most disturbing folk horror films of the 2010s tucked away in its catalog. If you’ve been looking for folk horror recommendations other than The Wicker Man or Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse, then this one might be for you. Oh, you’re more of an action/thriller person? You like crime dramas? Don’t worry—there’s something for everyone in this hidden gem.

I think Kill List is one of those movies that you should go into knowing as little as possible. But I will say this: Kill List isn’t afraid to go there.

This is an exceptionally violent and dark film, which is funny considering that it initially plays out like a domestic drama. Kill List introduces us to former soldier Jay (Neil Maskell) and his wife, Shel (MyAnna Buring). They live in the suburbs with their son, Sam (Harry Simpson). This might seem like the perfect situation, but the atmosphere inside the home is tense. Jay’s been unemployed for the past year, and his inability to find work is taking its toll on the family. Shel decides to throw a dinner party and invites Jay’s friend and former colleague, Gal (Michael Smiley), and his girlfriend, Fiona (Emma Fryer). Perhaps this dinner will be good for Jay—Gal has a job offer for him. Better yet, they can work together. Just like old times.

As Wheatley put it, this is a “war movie,” but I also think this is a movie about masculinity in crisis, gender roles, domesticity, and how far a man is willing to go to maintain the status quo. Jay wants so badly to be the kind of man who can take control, who can provide for his family and also be there for his friends, but he quickly finds out that none of these things are possible without some kind of sacrifice.

Kill List is about what it looks like to uphold the social contract—that is, what you are willing to give up in order to enjoy social benefits and protection, especially as a man. Now that I’m thinking of it, this might be the perfect movie for our current social and political climate (at least here in the United States).

So stop reading, open a new tab, go to Tubi, and search for Kill List. And when you’re finished, come back and tell me what you thought of it in the comments or on Instagram and X: @ashjenexi

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