Kill Your Lover is a horror drama film released on June 7, 2024. The movie explores a deeply toxic relationship between Dakota and Axel, highlighting the horror that unfolds when Dakota decides to end things.
Here are five key points about the film:
- Title: Kill Your Lover
- Release Year: 2024
- Genre: Horror, Thriller, Independent
- Directors and Writers: Alix Austin & Keir Siewert
- Main Cast: Paige Gilmour, Shane Quigley Murphy, May Kelly, Chloe Wigmore, Joshua Whincup
Kill Your Lover is a horror drama film that focuses on the toxic relationship between Dakota and Axel.
The film’s low-budget nature shows in its special effects, particularly the poorly drawn blue veins on the characters, which detracts from the overall horror experience.
However, the story is straightforward and keeps the audience engaged, even if it’s not a film you’ll likely remember long after watching.
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The Plot of Kill Your Lover
Dakota has decided to break up with her boyfriend, Axel. She is frustrated with their relationship and believes they have no future together.
She prepares her breakup speech with her best friend, and by the time Axel returns home, she is ready to end things. However, the situation takes a violent and unexpected turn.
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What Was the Reason Behind the Breakup?
This isn’t the first time Dakota has tried to break up with Axel. In the past, he always convinced her to give their relationship another chance.
Dakota is tired of his manipulation and believes it’s time to face the truth: they are not meant to be together.
When they first got together, Dakota was a free-spirited punk rocker. Axel seemed fascinated by her different lifestyle and tried to mold her into someone he approved of, gradually changing her into a more homely woman whose life revolved around him.
Over time, Dakota lost herself and became afraid of upsetting Axel. She followed the changes he imposed, believing they were for her own good.
Even though she struggled to meet Axel’s expectations, Dakota felt trapped. He had supported her during a critical time in her life, and she owed him financially.
Leaving seemed impossible. The photographs of her bandmates on the wall were replaced by pictures of Dakota and Axel, symbolizing how much her life had changed.
Dakota’s tattoo, which read “Everything was replaceable,” had to be extended to include “with exceptions,” reflecting the control Axel had over her life. Realizing how unhappy she had become, Dakota decided it was time to leave.
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What Happened With Axel?
When Axel returns home, he is sick. He has overheard Dakota and her friend Rose discussing the breakup and is prepared to talk about it.
He initially tries to gaslight Dakota, blaming her for their problems, but when that doesn’t work, he apologizes and begs for another chance.
Dakota briefly considers staying, but then a strange chemical substance starts oozing from Axel’s body, and vein-like growths spread across him.
Axel’s infection and the chemical burns he causes symbolize the toxicity within him and their relationship.
The physical manifestation of his inner turmoil reflects the damage he has caused. Axel cannot accept that they are not meant to be together and has manipulated his way into Dakota’s life, molding her into someone she is not.
When the paramedics arrive, they sense that Dakota is in an abusive relationship. Dakota’s claim that the burns don’t hurt suggests she has become numb to the pain, a coping mechanism she developed to survive the relationship.
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Axel’s Refusal to Let Dakota Leave
Despite the strange infection, Dakota stays with Axel, encouraging him to go to the hospital. Axel, however, fears that if he leaves the apartment, Dakota will disappear from his life.
Dakota clearly states that they make each other miserable and should part ways. As the vein-like growth continues to spread, the toxicity of their relationship becomes more evident.
Axel kills the paramedics who try to help, and it is revealed that Dakota has also been infected, with the growth visible on her body.
This suggests that Dakota, too, is running out of time to reclaim her identity. Axel’s influence threatens to trap her forever.
The Final Confrontation
Axel handcuffs Dakota, indicating his desperation to keep her from leaving. Their conversation reveals that Axel’s parents had a troubled marriage, which deeply affected him.
This perhaps explains his obsession with maintaining their relationship at all costs. Axel’s biggest fear is ending up alone, and he blames Dakota for choosing herself over their relationship.
A physical fight ensues as Dakota tries to escape. Both can burn each other, and their struggle for survival highlights how far their relationship has deteriorated. Love has been replaced by obsession and the desire to be free.
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The Climax and Ending
As the growth from Axel’s body spreads to the apartment walls, Dakota smashes a framed photograph of them. She remembers the arguments they had, even when the photo was taken.
Realizing they were never truly happy, Dakota grabs a piece of glass and confronts Axel. She offers him a chance to let her leave peacefully, but he refuses.
In the film’s climax, Dakota stabs Axel in the chest and pulls out his heart. She hopes this will end their toxic relationship and finally set her free.
The literal act of ripping out his heart symbolizes her breaking free from the demon Axel has become.
Final Thoughts
Kill Your Lover explores the horror of a toxic relationship and the struggle for freedom. While the film’s execution may be flawed, its depiction of manipulation, control, and the fight for identity is compelling.
Dakota’s journey to reclaim herself and escape Axel’s grasp highlights the lengths one must go to break free from a harmful relationship.
