Skip to content
MovieCove
The Killing Gene

The Killing Gene

Would you kill the one you love to save yourself from death?

2007104 minRMidcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Director
Tom Shankland
Starring
Selma Blair, Melissa George, Stellan Skarsgård, Sally Hawkins

There is something horribly wrong with the bodies found in the dark city streets. Some are mutilated while others have the Price equation (wΔz = Cov (w,z) = βwzVz) carved into their flesh. Detective Eddie Argo and his new partner Helen Westcott unearth the meaning of the odd equation and realise each victim is being offered a gruesome choice: kill your loved ones, or be killed. Before long it becomes clear that the perpetrator has suffered a similar fate and is now coping by seeking a way to solve this philosophical dilemma.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Killing Gene?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Killing Gene streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Killing Gene?

The Killing Gene earns 3 badges, led by Heavy for an R-rated film and Before they were famous.

  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Killing Gene worth watching?

The Killing Gene's Midcredits score is the 28th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 4 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

28th percentile

Better received than 28% of films

27th percentile among Crime27th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)29th
Approval (how many liked it)29th

55 /100

29th percentile of all films

27th percentile among Crime29th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

29th percentile among Crime26th percentile among 2000s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Critics 64% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

77th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

71st percentile among Crime69th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

Box office

Budget£5M

In British pound, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$1.6M

55th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A bleak, grim, and violent detective thriller that wears its Se7en and Saw influences on its sleeve.

Fans praised

  • gripping detective thriller with smart, thought-provoking script
  • strong performances by Skarsgård (weary cynic) and Blair (vengeful intensity)
  • relentlessly grim atmosphere and visceral, unpleasant tone

Detractors panned

  • derivative of Se7en and Saw, offering no fresh ideas
  • shaky camera work and murky cinematography feel cheap and distracting
  • slow pacing with unlikeable characters and a convoluted, predictable plot

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

Skarsgård convincing as hardened cynic, Blair chilling, George adequate but underwritten

AtmosphereDivisive70

relentlessly bleak, oppressive, filthy urban hell; highly effective for fans

Tension65

some genuinely suspenseful sequences, but pacing dulls it for detractors

CharactersDivisive55

detectives morally complex but clichéd, killer's motivation explored, but many two-dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive55

intelligent revenge premise with pseudo-scientific equation, but predictable and convoluted

EndingDivisive55

twist deemed surprising by fans, but detractors find it absurd or a letdown

PacingDivisive50

tense first half, sags in middle with too much procedural talk

OriginalityDivisive30

heavily derivative of Se7en, Saw; the Price Equation twist is the only fresh idea

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Killing Gene like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadCold
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its grisly subject matter with grim earnestness.
The rideThe synopsis describes a sustained series of gruesome forced-choice murders, suggesting a consistently tense and dread-filled atmosphere from start to finish.
StructureConventional police procedural structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe brutal case and the killer's philosophical puzzle linger.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA police investigation into a serial killer who forces victims into a deadly choice.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsTrauma · 7% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe killer forces victims to choose between their own life and a loved one's, turning each murder into a twisted moral test that the police must decode and stop.
StanceThe film treats the killer's moral equation as a philosophical puzzle to be examined rather than celebrated or condemned outright, interrogating the nature of justice.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · David Julyan
SettingNew York City police investigation of a serial killer who carves equations onto victims
MusicDavid Julyan's score for a brooding serial-killer thriller likely provides an atmospheric, tense bed.

Content guide

Is The Killing Gene okay for kids?

R

The Killing Gene is rated R: “Rated R for strong brutal violence including a rape, gruesome images and pervasive language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (90/100), sexual content at intense (78/100), language at intense (75/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (62/100) and frightening material at severe (83/100). Overall it is heavier than 93% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK18
  • Germany18
  • France16
  • Ireland18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 96% of all filmsHeavier than 93% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 96%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 65%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 83%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, frightening material, sexual content, language, and drug and alcohol content.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Killing Gene have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Killing Gene?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Selma Blair
as Jean Lerner
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Melissa George
as Helen Tippett
Stellan Skarsgård
as Eddie Argo
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sally Hawkins
as Elly Carpenter
newcomer then · star now
John Sharian
as Jack Corelli
Paul Kaye
as Dr. Gelb
Michael Wildman
as O'Hare
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Ashley Walters
as Daniel Leone
Tom Hardy
as Pierre Jackson
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alibe Parsons
as Miss Allaway
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Killing Gene?

Movies like The Killing Gene include Basic Instinct (1992), Cruising (1980) and Smile (2022). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about detectives, and most are psychological thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its character type: hunter and hunted. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Killing Gene?

3K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: manhunt. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.