3438. Why Don’t You Just Die! (2018)

Starring: Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Vitaliy Khaev, Evgeniya Kregzhde

Director: Kirill Sokolov

Running Time: 99 mins

Why Don’t You Just Die! (Папа, сдохни) is a Russian film about a former police detective who becomes surrounded by lifelong enemies in his apartment, which turns into a bloodbath battle to the death.

While it doesn’t keep up the insanely entertaining thrills of its no-holds-barred battle to the death from start to the finish, Why Don’t You Just Die! draws brilliant entertainment from its relentless violence and darkly hilarious story, not to mention a quintet of impressively physical performances.

I think it’s fair to say that if you’re a little squeamish, or not a fan of bloody violence, then this film most likely won’t be your cup of tea. Most of the violence is intense to the point of being funny, much like a Tarantino movie, with blood spurting all over the place and ingeniously ridiculous ways the characters try to kill each other.

The violence is without a doubt the thing that draws the most laughs in this movie. While the opening twenty minutes do intrigue with some great tension, the movie soon descends into a brilliant bloodbath of all-out violence, as Aleksandr Kuznetsov and Vitaliy Khaev knock seven bells out of each other.

There’s a decent motivation behind the fighting too, meaning that the movie isn’t just senseless violence for the sake of funny gore. That being said, however, the film doesn’t necessarily tell the world’s most enthralling story, and that’s perhaps where Why Don’t You Just Die! falls down.

As fun as the relentless violence is, it’s not something that can fully hold your attention over the course of an hour and a half. The movie, despite its efforts, lacks the emotional or dramatic depth to make for a more captivating watch. As a result, you’re not quite on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the movie gets boring, because the ridiculous violence and dark comedy still proves enough to keep you engaged. However, the film weakens as it goes along, lacking the mystery, tension and intrigue of its opening stages that blend with its deliriously bloody action to make for a gripping watch.

Overall, then, I had a lot of fun with Why Don’t You Just Die! An entertainingly action-packed movie filled with ridiculous violence, brilliantly dark humour, strong performances and moments of gripping tension, it’s a strong watch, albeit one that doesn’t necessarily have the legs to last a full 90 minutes. So, that’s why I’m giving it a 7.3.