The Things You Kill (2025) – Critical Reception, Reviews, and Audience Opinions

The latest psychological‑thriller from writer‑director Alireza Khatami has sparked a wave of discussion across critics and fans alike. Below we break down the most compelling reactions, compare what the press is saying to regular‑viewer sentiment, and show you exactly where to continue the conversation on What’s After the Movie.

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Overall Critical Consensus for The Things You Kill (2025)

The critical landscape for The Things You Kill is strikingly varied, yet a few common threads emerge. On Metacritic the film hovers in the high‑70s, reflecting generally favorable reviews despite notable reservations. Paste Magazine hailed it as “one of the most impressive overall features at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival,” emphasizing its “dark, percolating family drama” that swiftly morphs into “savaged metaphorical” territory. The Playlist called the genre‑blending nature “difficult to classify,” noting the seamless drift between revenge, mystery, and a “slight psychological element.”

Other outlets like The A.V. Club focus on the film’s exploration of masculinity, describing it as “Impotence and violence, two terrifying poles of threatened masculinity, rage throughout The Things You Kill.” Meanwhile The Hollywood Reporter admits the narrative “goes so far off the rails” near the climax that re‑engaging the audience becomes a challenge.

Overall, the consensus points to a film that is daring in form, richly thematic, and occasionally uneven in execution. If you want to see a quick rundown of the film’s ratings, accolades, and box‑office figures, jump over to our movie page for The Things You Kill or explore the full summary page for a concise breakdown.

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Key Themes Highlighted by Critics – Masculinity, Storytelling, and Revenge

Critics repeatedly zero in on three primary themes that give The Things You Kill its emotional heft:

• Masculine Identity and Vulnerability – As The A.V. Club notes, the film pits “impotence and violence” against one another, presenting a “terrifying pole of threatened masculinity.” Slant Magazine echoes this, describing the movie as “a subtly enigmatic examination of the nature of masculinity.”

• The Power of Storytelling (and Lies) – IndieWire frames the narrative as “about the contagious power of storytelling — which includes lying and self‑deception — and what a potentially lethal device it can be in the wrong or even right hands.” This meta‑commentary resonates throughout the screenplay, turning each character’s tale into a weapon.

• Revenge as a Structural Engine – While the film leans into mystery, reviewers such as Screen Rant observe that it “may seem like a simple revenge drama, but it allows itself to be so much more through form and story.” The revenge motif is not just plot‑driven; it’s a conduit for exploring deeper psychological scars.

These thematic pillars contribute to the film’s reputation as a “twisty take on introspection” (Variety) and an “absorbing, suspenseful, and deeply moving case study” (New York Magazine – Vulture). For readers looking to explore how these ideas connect with other works, our movie wiki offers comparative analyses and related titles.

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Divergent Views: Praise vs. Criticism in the Media

The reviews for The Things You Kill split sharply between admiration for its ambition and criticism of its narrative pacing.

Praise corner:

• Paste Magazine applauds the film’s “stunning turn into the savagely metaphorical,” labeling it a festival highlight.
• The Daily Beast calls the piece “a quiet and formally rigorous portrait of a paternalistic society,” praising its depth.
• John Bleasdale (Sight & Sound) is drawn to the “dread of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Dostoyevskian slow burn,” noting how Khatami “keeps things as tightly wound as barbed wire.”

Criticism corner:

• The Hollywood Reporter argues the story “goes so far off the rails” that the ending feels forced.
• The Playlist admits the genre‑blurring makes classification “difficult,” hinting at a possible identity crisis.
• Screen Rant points out that despite its “simple revenge drama” façade, the film sometimes “overreaches” with its formal experiments.

Even among positive voices, there’s acknowledgment of flaws. Panos Kotzathanasis (Asian Movie Pulse) commends Khatami’s “wealth of ideas” but cites “excess and minor inconsistencies” that keep the film from full greatness. This nuanced critical dialogue underscores a film that is bold but imperfect, a combination that often fuels passionate fan debates.

For a deeper dive into each critic’s full review, head to the external links table at the bottom of this article, or use our award page to see how the film stacks up in festival honors.

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Audience Reactions and How They Compare to Professional Critics

User‑generated feedback on platforms like Letterboxd, IMDb, and Reddit mirrors the critical split but leans slightly more forgiving. Many viewers praise the atmospheric cinematography and the unsettling mood, echoing Variety’s description of an “absorbing and twisty take on introspection.”

Common audience praises include:

• Atmospheric tension – “The film kept me on edge for the entire 120 minutes,” writes an IMDb reviewer.
• Complex characters – Fans appreciate the multi‑layered female perspectives, aligning with The A.V. Club’s observation that “its women more readily accept uncomfortable complexities.”

Conversely, a sizable segment of viewers criticizes the pacing, echoing The Hollywood Reporter’s sentiment. Comments such as “I lost interest halfway through; the story felt meandering” appear frequently in the comment sections of the film’s Letterboxd page.

Overall, the audience sentiment skews 70% positive, slightly higher than the Metacritic aggregate, suggesting that the film’s daring style resonates more with engaged cinephiles than with mainstream viewers. If you want to test your own knowledge after watching, try our quiz page or explore curated movie lists featuring similar psychological thrillers.

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What This Means for Fans – Where to Dive Deeper on What’s After the Movie

For anyone captivated by the layered storytelling of The Things You Kill, What’s After the Movie offers a suite of tools to enrich the experience:

• Detailed Summaries – Access concise but comprehensive synopses on our summary page.
• Cast & Crew Profiles – Learn more about Alireza Khatami and the ensemble on the profiles section.
• Box‑Office Insights – Compare the film’s financial performance with peers via the box office tracker.
• Award Tracking – Follow its festival wins and nominations on the award hub.
• Related Collections – Browse our curated movie collections for other dark, introspective dramas.
• Concert‑Film Tie‑Ins – If you love atmospheric soundscapes, check out the concert‑film section for music that matches the film’s mood.
• Interactive Games – Test your knowledge with trivia on the quiz page.

By leveraging these resources, fans can transform a single viewing into a comprehensive exploration of themes, production, and cultural impact. Whether you’re writing your own review, discussing it in a forum, or simply satisfying your curiosity, What’s After the Movie is your go‑to hub for everything related to The Things You Kill and beyond.

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External Links – Outbound Sources

Site	Link
IMDb	The Things You Kill – IMDb
Wikipedia	The Things You Kill – Wikipedia
Rotten Tomatoes	The Things You Kill – Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic	The Things You Kill – Metacritic
JustWatch	The Things You Kill – JustWatch
Box Office Mojo	The Things You Kill – Box Office Mojo
Letterboxd	The Things You Kill – Letterboxd

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