KNIVES OUT REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

For a mystery-based film to succeed, it has to keep the viewer guessing throughout and make it hard for them to correctly predict the outcome. If the revelation is correctly guessed before its revealed, it can lead to a boring watch. Fortunately, this wasn't the case for Rian Johnson's latest feature, Knives Out, a highly entertaining film that features a star-studded cast.

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.

Johnson is best known for directing the underrated sci-fi feature, Looper, which was released in 2012, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which received a mixed reception from fans of the franchise. Although I like both films, I think that Knives Out is Johnson's best feature yet. In 2010, he expressed interest in making a murder mystery film and planned on making one following the release of Looper, however, he went on to make The Last Jedi. Johnson cited several classic mystery thrillers and mystery comedies as influences on Knives Out, including Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Something's Afoot, Deathtrap and Clue. His script pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie so fans of her novels will certainly enjoy what Johnson has created with Knives Out, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. Knives Out succeeds as a mystery as it keeps its viewers guessing throughout and, because of the many twists and turns that feature within the story, it makes for an unpredictable watch. 

What I liked most about Knives Out was that it didn't take itself seriously. The tone is very tongue-in-cheek with its over-the-top and eccentric characters. The humour makes Knives Out all the more fun to watch, despite the serious themes of murder and suicide. 

The stand-out aspect of Knives Out is the star-studded cast, with Craig delivering an amusing portrayal of Detective Blanc. His performance makes you forget that he's also the most famous spy, James Bond, a role he's set to reprise in No Time To Die, which is due to be released next year. Familiar names include Chris Evans, who is perfectly cocky as Ransom, Jamie Lee Curtis as Harlan's eldest daughter, Linda, Michael Shannon as her brother, Walt, Don Johnson as Linda's husband, Richard and Toni Collette as Harlan's daughter-in-law, Joni. With this many famous names in one film, it would be easy for the film to feel overcrowded, however, each actor delivers a strong portrayal of their characters and they all get their moment to shine.  While the Thrombey family are affected by the death of Harlan, the story focuses on his caretaker and nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), who vomits every time she tries to lie, however, Blanc believes she knows more about Harlan's mysterious death. Jaeden Martell's character, Jacob Thrombey, who tweets hate speech online, was inspired by angry Star Wars fans on Twitter that Johnson encountered following the release of The Last Jedi.
A marketing scheme that is used to promote a film is interviews with the cast. It's an effective method at getting people interested in the film as they hear the cast discuss what it was like on set and reveal details from behind the scenes. Judging from what I've seen from interviews with the cast for Knives Out, they all worked well together and that's why the film itself is such a success. It's not hard to see the actors having fun with their characters they're portraying which makes it fun for the audience to watch.

Following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September, Knives Out has received critical acclaim, with the majority of them stating that the film shows Johnson at his best. Because of this and its impressive ensemble cast, it quickly became one of my most anticipated films and, fortunately, it didn't disappoint.

8/10