Knives Out a deviously twisty turny head-scratcher
Whatever theory you come up with yourself during cracking murder mystery Knives Out, there is a 110 per-cent chance it will be wrong.
Leigh Paatsch
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In the striking form of Knives Out, you will be privy to a cracking murder mystery rife with loose ends, dead ends and one heck of an unseemly end.
That comes at the start of this dynamically entertaining affair, when celebrated author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) – famous for his murder mysteries, not uncoincidentally – is found deceased in his study, seemingly by his own hand.
No-one has the inside track on what may have happened save for the late scribe’s nurse, Marta, (Ana de Armas), and she can barely make herself heard above the ruckus of Thrombey’s not-so-grieving family.
The local constabulary show up at the Thrombey HQ – a rambling, knick-knack-cluttered mansion that looks as if it was kitted out by architects who read too much Agatha Christie for their own good – and proceed to open and shut what should be a standard case of suicide.
In the interests of maintaining a relatively spoiler-free zone, the initial nor the later findings of the police will be revealed here.
However, what you should know right upfront is that whatever theory you come up with yourself during Knives Out, there is a 110 per-cent chance it will be wrong.
Writer-director Rian Johnson (taking a breather from his regular Star Wars duties) has crafted a deviously twisty and turny head-scratcher of a deathly conundrum for viewers to pour over.
So much so that many amateur investigators will gladly watch the movie all over again in search of clues that may have missed the first time around.
On the performance front, the Knives Out show is comprehensively stolen – and never once returned – by a wired, inspired and kookily amusing Daniel Craig.
He plays Benoit Blanc, an unorthodox private detective from the deep south who knows all the answers from the get-go, but remains unsure of the question until the closing scenes.
Don’t believe a word anyone says in Knives Out whatever you do, but be assured a very good time awaits you here.
A superb support ensemble includes Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette and Don Johnson.
KNIVES OUT (M)
Director: Rian Johnson (Looper)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette.
Rating: ***1/2
Staying sharp right down to the final cut
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