Knives Out is a wickedly fun masterpiece.

Rating: 9/10 (28 November 2019)

"Knives Out" Review
(9/10)
KNIVES OUT LEADS VIEWERS ON A THRILLING AND WICKEDLY FUN RIDE AS THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE OFFERS BREATHTAKING PERFORMANCES IN THIS WHODUNNIT MYSTERY.
Though Rian Johnson is now perhaps best known for having directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, across all his films, Johnson incorporates story elements that subvert expectations, delivering twists viewers won't see coming. That's all to say, Knives Out fits perfectly within his wheelhouse as a modern murder mystery whodunnit thriller. Written, directed and produced by Johnson, the filmmaker also surrounds himself with an astonishingly talented ensemble cast, who execute his vision with masterful precision.
Johnson's particular talent of keeping audiences on their toes is on full display with Knives Out, which follows a fairly standard formula for murder mystery movies - in that the viewers are shown little bits about the night of the murder as the mystery is slowly unraveled on screen. The filmmaker uses a deft hand in both setting up and pulling off the twists in Knives Out, laying the foundation for them long before viewers even see them coming. Astute audiences, especially those that revel in solving a murder mystery plot before the characters on screen, will pick up on the clues, but Johnson uses their expectations against them to keep even those viewers guessing.
In a film with plenty of colorful characters, Craig's Blanc is an energetic scene-stealer, even as de Armas' Marta is presented more as the film's protagonist. The actress and her more understated performance work well to make Marta the most grounded character in Knives Out, contrasting well against the more campy, over-the-top members of the Thrombey family. Collette's Joni is another scene-stealer, dropping a surprising number of one-liners, as Curtis's Linda is a more imposing woman - though her performance is just as fun.
Every aspect of Knives Out - from Johnson's directing and Craig's southern drawl to the satisfyingly chilling score and intricately detailed set design - comes together to form this lush, captivating murder mystery. Knives Out manages to combine the campy fun of Clue with a new and carefully crafted mystery, plus infuse some commentary about everything from detective stories to modern American politics, all while allowing Johnson's filmmaking voice to shine through. In the end, Knives Out is a wickedly fun masterpiece.