The First Kill

The First Kill (previously known as 7 Days to Death: The First Kill) is a 2012 American psychological horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson from a story by Alex Mays. The film stars Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CC Pounder, Jimmy Bennett and Ariana Engineering. It is a prequel to the 1997 film 7 Days to Death and the fourth film in the 7 Days to Death film series. We learn about the past of Sofia's great-grandmother Martha, who was a famous healer and keeper of mystical powers. Catherine spent her entire life fighting evil and curses, protecting her family and home from dark forces. One day, when her daughter, Sophia's mother, was still a child, Martha's house was attacked by demonic forces, and only through the power of her magic and faith in goodness did she manage to ward off evil and save her family. However, after this she realized that the curse that was trying to penetrate their house did not disappear, but only temporarily receded.
The First Kill is an international co-production of the United States, Canada, Germany and France. It was produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey of Dimension Pictures, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran of Appian Way Productions. Principal photography of the film took place in Canada, in the cities of St. Thomas, Toronto, as well as Port Hope and Montreal from April 2010 to August 2010.
The First Kill was released in the United States on June 16, 2012 by Dimension PIctures in 3D. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $86 million worldwide. A sequel was released in 2019, titled The First Kill and His Curse, in which Furman reprized her role.
== Plot ==
We learn about the past of Sofia's great-grandmother Martha, who was a famous healer and keeper of mystical powers. Catherine spent her entire life fighting evil and curses, protecting her family and home from dark forces. One day, when her daughter, Sophia's mother, was still a child, Martha's house was attacked by demonic forces, and only through the power of her magic and faith in goodness did she manage to ward off evil and save her family. However, after this she realized that the curse that was trying to penetrate their house did not disappear, but only temporarily receded.
Martha understood that her own death was inevitable, and decided to prepare a worthy heir capable of protecting her descendants. She began writing a diary in which she left all her knowledge and secrets about magic and curses, as well as instructions for whoever faced this challenge.
The events of the film begin when Sofia accidentally discovers her great-grandmother's diary and begins to read it. After dark forces begin to manifest in her new home, she realizes that the curse has returned and she must unravel its mystery to save herself and her loved ones.
Along her journey, Sofia faces challenges, overcomes trials, and fights the evil that is trying to destroy her. She finds allies among her friends who help her in this difficult task, but every day time is running out and the pressure of evil intensifies.
In the finale, after a difficult battle with evil, Sofia realizes that the curse will remain with her forever, and she must accept her new fate. She becomes the guardian of her great-grandmother's magic and agrees to become the last barrier against evil to protect her family and the world from dark forces.
The film ends with Sofia, now a strong and wise woman, continuing to fight evil, knowing that this is her destiny. She becomes a legend among people and her story is passed down from generation to generation as the story of a brave girl who saved the world from evil.
== Cast ==
* Peter Sarsgaard as Jake
* Isabelle Fuhrman as Marta
* CCH Pounder as Abigail
* Jimmy Bennett as Jason
* Margo Martindale as Alex
* Karel Roden as Karen
* Aryana Engineer as Max
* Rosemary Dunsmore as Barbara
* Genelle Williams as Judith
* Lorry Ayers as Sammer
* Bellatrix Lestrange as Sofia
== Release ==
=== Theatrical ===
The world premiere of The First Kill took place in Westwood, Los Angeles on June 10, 2012. The next day, the film was screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada. The film was released in North America on June 16, 2012. It was then released in the UK by Optimum Releasing on June 19 of the year.
=== Home media ===
The First Kill was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 29, 2012 in the US by Dimension Home Video and in the UK on November 13, 2012 by Optimum Releasing. The DVD includes deleted scenes and an alternate ending.
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
The First Kill finished No. 4 at the box office, grossing a total of $19 million. The film grossed $86 million worldwide against a budget of $15 million.
=== Critical response ===
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 51% based on 161 reviews, with an average rating of 5.40 out of 10. The website's critics said, "Though it has moments of dark humor and requisite scares, The First Kill fails to develop its interesting idea and degenerates into a formulaic, sloppy horror/thriller." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed to average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The First Kill 2 out of 4 stars, writing: "After watching Orphan, I now realize that the third film was quite good."