A Whodunit Like No One Has Dunnit Before

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2020)

Apparently an unpopular these days but I adore Rian Johnson as a director, I've yet to see all his work but of what I've seen he's never made a film that I have not loved. Because of that Knives Out was one of my most anticipated movies of 2019 and more than that there was never a moment of doubt during the build up to seeing this film where I thought it would disappoint me. As I'd hoped this movie lived up to my expectations as well subverting them in all the right ways.
Like the classic murder mystery's that inspired it, Knives Out has an incredible cast without a single weak link within it. Daniel Craig gives a Performance like he never has before and loved what he did here. I got used to the accent he used and loved the eccentricity he brought. Ana De Armas has really come Into her own over the last few years and this is the best I've ever seen her, she's a star in the making and this film just proves it even more. Chris Evans, Jaime Lee Curtis And Michael Shannon all give performances against their usual type and loved all of them here, as despicable as their characters were they were still so engaging to watch thanks to the writing and their performances.
Despite the cast, Rian Johnson is the real star of this film. His blend of drama and humour worked perfectly. Despite the amount of brilliant comedy it never took away from the mystery aspects or the tension. His writing was subversive of the usual ways in which we expect a mystery to be portrayed and left me wondering where exactly the movie was going in the best possible way. This really keeps the movie original and fresh which definitely made for a unique experience of watching this movie for the first time. My only issue with his script was the overload of exposition, there obviously has to be a lot in a complex mystery like this but the expository scenes feel overlong and drawn out at many points.
Knives Out is endlessly rewarding, intelligently written and so much fun as a movie. While Rian Johnson may be the true star, the entire cast is incredible with many of them giving performances against their usual type and succeed at it wonderfully. It's full of humour while still maintaining a great deal of character and tension. I can't waiting to see what Johnson does next whether it's another entry in this world or something else that is completely original.
9.5/10 - A (Phenomenal)