Thinks it's cleverer than it actually is

Rating: 2/10 (11 December 2019)

There are a few moments in Rian Johnson's Knives Out that feel well written. Most of this clunky script, however, is not.
From the lazy 'lying makes me gag' plot device, the completely flawless protagonist, the unnecessary Leftist political undertones... Knives Out is a bit of a mess.
It takes too long to get going, and reveals far too much, too early on. There's a reason crime thriller conventions exist, and that's because they work. Rian Johnson seems to believe he is above such conventions, so it is no surprise when after 45 minutes or so, the film starts to fall apart after Marta is revealed as the "killer".
Some have said this is a parody of the whodunnit genre, but there is only so far that excuse can wash. With plot holes galore (Harlan thought of that intricate plan for Marta in the space of 10 minutes?), and an abundance of 'far too convenient' explanations, as a viewer I stopped caring about who did what.
It doesn't help that Marta is a one-dimensional character (basically a personification of Johnson's politics) who I couldn't root for. Actually, I was actively hoping she'd be killed. I'm sorry, she was annoying.
Overrated and complete with a completely obvious finale/"reveal" (I feel a bit cheated with that ending, Ransom was so obviously culpable from his introduction), you can't help but feel this film thinks it's way cleverer than it actually is.