HBO Max's #1 Movie Gives Us A Final Girl For The Ages - MCE Notices | California State Portal

One of the most fun movies of 2026 has climbed the charts on HBO Max and currently sits as its top trending film. More often than not, the top movie on any streaming service is something that was released recently and people didn’t get the chance to see it when it was in theaters, which is the case here. That film atop the HBO Max charts is They Will Kill You and although it might indeed be a fun romp, it does fit into the horror genre, though with a twist of comedy involved.

Like a lot of horror movies with a female character at its core, the protagonist can be considered a “final girl.” These are the women who fight tooth and nail through harrowing circumstances and survive when so many others die. They oppose the main killers in the story and come out on top in some fashion. Laurie Strode, Sam Carpenter, Mia Allen, Grace Le Domas, and Ellen Ripley are just some examples of great final girls in horror history.

They Will Kill You features another modern final girl who ranks among the greatest ever. Asia Reaves is a legitimate badass who is up to the task of fighting against the killers around her and the performance by Zazie Beetz only adds to what makes her so great.

They Will Kill You Isn’t Your Typical Slasher

For starters, it’s important to discuss the kind of movie that They Will Kill You actually is. It’s hard to truly define a specific genre for the film because it includes elements of horror, comedy, and action. Ultimately, it seems like considering it a slasher makes sense, though it’s not your everyday slasher. In a lot of films in that subgenre, it’s one killer on a murdering spree and as characters die off, a final girl is left to finally overcome the odds.

They Will Kill You takes inspiration from Ready or Not, another popular slasher, which focuses on one woman who is hunted by a group of killers. The story sees Asia Reaves land a job as a housekeeper at a mysterious high-rise building in New York City, only to find that the people who reside there are part of a satanic cult who need to kill her as a sacrifice in order to keep their deal with the devil, which allows them immortality.

That sets up They Will Kill You, like Ready or Not, as something different within the genre. While both movies share a lot in common, the action is what separates them and They Will Kill You from the pack. The film features a level of action that is often reserved for something like Atomic Blonde or John Wick. That’s not something that other slashers can really match.

Asia Reaves Is A Different Kind Of Final Girl

Grace Le Domas of Ready or Not fame is certainly a great modern final girl, yet Asia Reaves is a whole different game. As noted, They Will Kill You features fantastic action and part of what makes it so is Asia. This isn’t a woman who finds herself in over her head when the killers come around and her fight for survival is a case of desperation. When the killers come to her room, she hides in the closet, only to reveal that she had come prepared.

Asia brought various weapons, including a shotgun and a sword, as she takes the fight right to the killers. We watch as she beheads someone, stabs another person multiple times, cuts off a leg, and slices through someone’s jaw, all within the first few minutes of her facing a threat. She kills Heather Graham, Tom Felton, and several other notable and recognizable actors without much trouble, which isn’t what you expect from a film like this.

Of course, They Will Kill You ultimately reveals that these characters are immortal, so they come back to life several times over. That just adds to the action because Asia must kill them over and over, to the point where one character even shouts that she’s sick of Asia killing her multiple times. Asia eventually explains that she learned how to defend herself and fight during her time in prison. That makes Asia a relatively unique final girl.

How Asia Reaves Compares To Other Final Girls

Grace sits in front of a burning house while drenched in blood in the ending of Ready or Not

It’s difficult to pinpoint where Asia Reaves sits when it comes to other final girls in horror movie history. She will never be as iconic as the likes of Laurie Strode or Sidney Prescott, yet she’s a final girl who would likely win if she ever faced off against some of the best. Not many final girls have the fighting ability that Asia possesses or are as adept at using weapons like guns or a sword. The fact that They Will Kill You wasn’t a huge hit means she likely can never hit the top level of final girls.

That said, there’s still a chance for They Will Kill You to become a hit over time. The film has cult status written all over it, which could cause Asia to rise on the list. As noted, her skills in survival mean that she would probably win in any battle against another final girl. Laurie Strode, Sam Carpenter, Grace Le Domas, and even Ellen Ripley can certainly hold their own, yet it’s tough to imagine them toppling someone who almost immediately killed her opponents upon their first meeting.

It’s also hard to imagine a final girl who had a tougher fight in the end, as Asia eventually clashes with Satan, who possesses the body of the superintendent of the building, who is a member of the satanic cult. Yet, Asia stood toe-to-toe with Satan and ultimately won the fight. If the literal devil can’t best Asia, there likely aren’t any other final girls, or even villains from horror movies, who can match her.

Regardless of how They Will Kill You is remembered over time, there’s no doubt that Asia Reaves stands tall as one of the best and most unique final girls in the history of cinema. She’s certainly near the top of the list when it comes to the most badass of the bunch.