Bringing murder mysteries to the big screen can be a tough challenge. The story has to have twists and turns but it can’t be too complex or else you’ll lose most of the audience. After the box office success of The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson decided to take on the challenge of creating a film noir murder mystery. But is Rian Johnson able to create a successful murder mystery with Knives Out?
Yes, he does. Without the constraints of the Star Wars franchise, Johnson is able to freely do what he does best: Creating original and fun content. Knives Out is an entertaining mystery that’ll leave you guessing until the very end.
Knives Out follows Benoit Blanc, a detective hired to investigate the death of a patriarch of a rich and eccentric family.
Knives Out as a murder mystery is deliciously fun with a ton of twists and turns. Yet, surprisingly, the film does reveal a lot of stuff early on. Thankfully, the story still is able to surprise you with its many twists. But the film’s surprises are the kind of surprises that are subtle. They aren’t memorable nor will it stick with you after the film ends. That doesn’t mean that the film is necessarily bad. It just means that the film is more about the characters than the actual twists and turns of a murder mystery.
In other words, the film revolves around your love of the characters—more specifically ONE character. This character is the heart and soul of the entire film. So if you’re not attached to them then you won’t care enough about what unfolds for the rest of the film. Yet you should because this character is easily the most likable character in the entire film. A majority of the characters are despicable but there are some good guys in there.
But due to the nature of the genre, you always have to keep your attachments in check. After all, a murder mystery always seems to have good guys that aren’t really good. You always seem to guess if certain characters have any ulterior motives behind them. So even though you’re rooting for them, you’re guarding yourself against any possible betrayal by some sort of reveal.
Regardless, the film keeps things light by adding a lot of humor into the film. The entire cast plays the roles so seriously that when they deliver a funny line, their seriousness makes it funnier.
It goes to show you how good this stacked cast really is. However, some actors do get more love than others. Several big-name actors rarely make an appearance in the film. The film primarily features the “main players” instead of giving everyone in the cast equal screen time. In terms of the storytelling aspect, it’s perfect but fans eager to see a certain actor, they may be disappointed. Regardless, the “main players” are perfect in their respective roles. It’s also refreshing to see them play something that’s different than what you’re used to seeing from them.
Overall, Knives Out is a deliciously fun film. Despite some big reveals throughout the film, the film will still keep you guessing until the very end. Although murder mysteries are kind of a one-trick-pony due to the audience knowing all of the twists, the film is fun enough for repeat viewings.
Rating: 4/5 atoms
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