The indie, British answer to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, Erwan Marinopoulos’ Kill Ben Lyk may lack the sophistication, razor-sharp wit and immaculate plotting of its bigger Hollywood brother, but still provides a diverting, mindless 70 minutes or so of quirky, cheeky fun. Perhaps a better comparison would be Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire, as both films similarly shoot themselves in the foot by stuffing one plot complication too many into the otherwise-minimalist narrative.
“…[Ben Lyk] finds out that his namesakes are getting offed, one-by-one…”
Ben Lyk (Eugene Simon) is a young aspiring social media star – emphasis on “aspiring” – who lives in London with his perpetually-stoned roommate Roberto (Dimitri Leonidas). When he finds out that his namesakes are getting offed, one-by-one, Ben freaks out, posting his reaction online. “How would you feel, likers?” he addresses his followers. “I want you to get in touch. I want to hear what you’ve got to say about all this.”
He’s not the only one with the bright idea. All the other remaining Ben Lyks start uploading their pleas for help. Our hero gets in touch with one of them over Skype… just to see him get murdered, live. Soon after, Scotland Yard apprehends him, along with all the Lyks, in a mansion straight out of an Agatha Christie book.
"…a diverting, mindless 70 minutes or so of quirky, cheeky fun..."
