Knives Out

A detective and a trooper travel to a lush estate to interview the quirky relatives of a patriarch who died during his 85th birthday celebration.

I won’t lie, Knives out is one of the films I have wanted to see the most this year and I was lucky enough to see it at an early unlimited screening. With big names such as Chris Evans and Daniel Craig, as well as upcoming talents such as Katherine Langford there was a lot of hype surrounding the film. What makes this film so interesting though is the plot, sure it’s a crime thriller but it isn’t an Agatha Christie novel for sure, this film is much different and with a 2 hour + running time, it definitely manages to pack a lot into it and I can honestly say that by the end of the film I was surprised. Whether that is a good sign or not is what you’ve come here to read, does this film have its plan perfectly laid out or does it take a stab in the heart? Here are my thoughts.

For films like this, first impression is key - it can grip the audience from the start and get us interested, or it can lose us and mean that we have a very boring few hours. I love how the film starts off really mysteriously, it really helps to get us not only immersed in the ecosystem of the film but it also just gives us a creepy feeling. This is a really strong theme which radiates right from the very beginning, the film really cleverly starts off with a creepy scene of the house, with an eerie violin playing, and dogs running around - it starts off by absolutely reeking of a typical crime thriller, but this film is far from typical, and the ways in which it not only communicates with its audience but how it entertains us and leads us along its path is breathtaking and definitely leaves it as one of my favourite films of the year for sure. Crime investigation films have been released in the dozens, but none of them feels or portray themselves like this one does, and a key to this is based in the plot and execution of the film. The plot for this film is absolutely fantastic, not only does it feel fresh but it is exciting and enjoyable throughout, and a key to this is the constant, yet satisfying and simple twists and turns that the film takes, it is able to do this by getting us so engaged with the film and its story, that we aren’t actively trying to work out who the murderer was, because the storyline of the film is far too exciting and enjoyable to distance ourselves from. From the ways in which the film plays with our emotions by starting off with a positive vibe, to how the film consistently gives everyone a motive for the murder the film feels really well put together. The actual plot feels really exciting too, the case slowly unravels itself throughout the film, and seeing how the investigators and the family participate in this through interviews, dialogue and flashbacks is awesome, because we are always kept at the same point as the characters, what's especially interesting it that the films keep us guessing though, which ensures that not only is it engaging but it's also really fun and enjoyable to watch too. The film does this really cleverly by actually informing us of how the crime was committed fairly early through a series of flashbacks, but then surprisingly the film continues by showing us how the investigation works out, and then the series of other twists and turns always keep us second-guessing - I like it though because it always means that instead of guessing who the murderer is, the film lets us actively enjoy it and to really get entangled in the characters, the plot and the overall story. The actual story feels awesome though, it mixes a combination of slow, mysterious scenes such as Marta's escape with fast-paced and rowdy scenes such as when she escapes with Ransom, it feels really well made and this combination of emotions, themes and speeds combines together for an awesome story. It fits together really well too, The film flows together insanely well, small details and hints that the characters give are slowly unravelled which means that they give a really uneasy and untrustworthy feeling to us, and because of this the mystery aspect of the film feels really accessible and enjoyable, because the film doesn't solve the mystery too quickly, but it slowly unravels it to ensure that it avoids having any lengthy boring parts which contain nothing, you sure won't find any of them here! I also really enjoyed how the film felt like it was split into separate parts too, because this meant that the plot didn't feel stretched out or too lengthy, but they transitioned together well, these were great because they added a new location and vision to the characters and story - especially because we could see more and more to the investigation as it progressed, scenes such as where Marta finds Fran in the abandoned store with a spider on her, drugged, adds intensity to the film and offers something new, as does the scenes during the fire and the police interrogation, the film definitely brings a hefty amount of plot here, but luckily it fits together perfectly, and in the end it really makes the most of every second it is on, by twisting and turning, and offering a variety of different feelings, emotions and sceneries to us - which keep the film feeling fresh and diverts away from the house which we see a lot. Ultimately, as in the films and books that inspired this one, it’s all about the whodunit, which is revealed in such unexpected ways that just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize something doesn’t add up. When it’s actually over (and my God does Johnson stick the landing with one of the best final shots of the year) you’ll unpack its ingenuity like a detective yourself, marvelling at not just how the details of what happened that night revealed themselves, but the social message embedded in all of it. I absolutely loved the story though, it had a perfect bit of everything, intensity, sadness, mystery and excitement and it genuinely feels like one of the best made and pieced together films of the year, simply going off how in-depth and enjoyable the plot is. There is never a moment where you aren't glued to the screen, because it takes so many unpredictable twists and turns, and leaves us in a false sense of security so much that it just always seems so enjoyable to see what happens next. I love the construction and idea of the plot too, not only does it feel well made, but the storyline feels really immersive and clever too, which results in a viewing experience you will want to see again and again, due to just how engaging and immersive it feels. The plot wasn't the only part that I loved about this film though...

Knives Out is one of those kinds of films where you never really know where it’s going, sometimes it’s bad and sometimes it’s good, I love how the film starts off really mysteriously, it really helps to get us not only immersed in the ecosystem of the film, but it also just gives us a creeps feeling. This is a really strong theme which radiates right from the very beginning, the film really cleverly starts off with a creepy scene of the house, with an eerie violin playing, and dogs running around - it starts off by absolutely reeking of a typical crime thriller, but this film is far from typical, and the ways in which it not only communicates with its audience but how it entertains us and leads us along its path is breathtaking and definitely leaves it as one of my favourite films of the year for sure. Crime investigation films have been released in the dozens, but none of them feels or portray themselves like this one does, and a key to this is based in the plot and execution of the film. The plot for this film is absolutely fantastic, not only does it feel fresh but it is exciting and enjoyable throughout, and a key to this is the constant, yet satisfying and simple twists and turns that the film takes, it is able to do this by getting us so engaged with the film and its story, that we aren’t actively trying to work out who the murderer was, because the storyline of the film is far too exciting and enjoyable to distance ourselves from.

From the ways in which the film plays with our emotions by starting off with a positive vibe, to how the film consistently gives everyone a motive for the murder the film feels really well put together. The actual plot feels really exciting too, the case slowly unravels itself throughout the film, and seeing how the investigators and the family participate in this through interviews, dialogue and flashbacks is awesome, because we are always kept at the same point as the characters, what's especially interesting it that the films keep us guessing though, which ensures that not only is it engaging but it's also really fun and enjoyable to watch too. The film does this really cleverly by actually informing us of how the crime was committed fairly early through a series of flashbacks, but then surprisingly the film continues by showing us how the investigation works out, and then the series of other twists and turns always keep us second-guessing - I like it though because it always means that instead of guessing who the murderer is, the film lets us actively enjoy it and to really get entangled in the characters, the plot and the overall story.

Knives Out is one of those kinds of films where you never really know where it’s going, sometimes it’s bad and sometimes it’s good, I love how the film starts off really mysteriously, it really helps to get us not only immersed in the ecosystem of the film, but it also just gives us a creeps feeling. This is a really strong theme which radiates right from the very beginning, the film really cleverly starts off with a creepy scene of the house, with an eerie violin playing, and dogs running around - it starts off by absolutely reeking of a typical crime thriller, but this film is far from typical, and the ways in which it not only communicates with its audience but how it entertains us and leads us along its path is breathtaking and definitely leaves it as one of my favourite films of the year for sure. Crime investigation films have been released in the dozens, but none of them feels or portray themselves as this one does, and a key to this is based in the plot and execution of the film. The plot for this film is absolutely fantastic, not only does it feel fresh but it is exciting and enjoyable throughout, and a key to this is the constant, yet satisfying and simple twists and turns that the film takes, it is able to do this by getting us so engaged with the film and its story, that we aren’t actively trying to work out who the murderer was, because the storyline of the film is far too exciting and enjoyable to distance ourselves from. From the ways in which the film plays with our emotions by starting off with a positive vibe, to how the film consistently gives everyone a motive for the murder the film feels really well put together. The actual plot feels really exciting too, the case slowly unravels itself throughout the film, and seeing how the investigators and the family participate in this through interviews, dialogue and flashbacks is awesome, because we are always kept at the same point as the characters, what's especially interesting it that the films keep us guessing though, which ensures that not only is it engaging but it's also really fun and enjoyable to watch too. The film does this really cleverly by actually informing us of how the crime was committed fairly early through a series of flashbacks, but then surprisingly the film continues by showing us how the investigation works out, and then the series of other twists and turns always keep us second-guessing - I like it though because it always means that instead of guessing who the murderer is, the film lets us actively enjoy it and to really get entangled in the characters, the plot and the overall story.

Ultimately, as in the films and books that inspired this one, it’s all about the whodunit, which is revealed in such unexpected ways that just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize something doesn’t add up. When it’s actually over (and my God does Johnson stick the landing with one of the best final shots of the year) you’ll unpack its ingenuity like a detective yourself, marvelling at not just how the details of what happened that night revealed themselves, but the social message embedded in all of it. I absolutely loved the story though, it had a perfect bit of everything, intensity, sadness, mystery and excitement and it genuinely feels like one of the best made and pieced together films of the year, simply going off how in-depth and enjoyable the plot is. There is never a moment where you aren't glued to the screen, because it takes so many unpredictable twists and turns, and leaves us in a false sense of security so much that it just always seems so enjoyable to see what happens next. I love the construction and idea of the plot too, not only does it feel well made, but the storyline feels really immersive and clever too, which results in a viewing experience you will want to see again and again, due to just how engaging and immersive it feels. The plot wasn't the only part that I loved about this film though...

In all honesty, I can't really find something I didn't like about this film, it was immersive, the story was the perfect length and got the balance between feeling exciting, whilst being mysterious and intriguing perfectly - and it results in a really high-quality film which can be enjoyed by all. In all honesty, I was surprised that it received only a 7.7 (as of writing this) by IMDb reviews - although a little bird told me that quite a few of those are Star Wars fans who have a vengeance against Rian Johnson. He's silenced them here, with a great performance of directing this film. m made each and every one of the characters feel unique, special and excitable, an important way that the film does this though is through the interviews at the start - not only does it give us a good insight into the events of the party, but most importantly it gives us a personal feeling to the characters, seeing how they conflict each other, how one refuses to speak about family matters whilst the next blurts it out whilst laughing - these scenes are so crucial to the film because not only do they help to make the characters fun but it also gives us a great insight into the real relationships and characteristics of the characters - which is absolutely crucial in a film like this. I also love how all of the characters give us some reason to believe that they're involved in the killing somehow, quirky scenes like Marta throwing up when lying is a small feature but actually goes a long way and shows the attention to detail - because the film makes the most of this and this gives the film a chance to progress, especially as she is grilled, to tell the truth.

The characters are interesting, yes, but what really makes them so good is the chemistry that they have with each other (or should I say lack of!) - their consistent arguing and squabbling is really good for many reasons - not only does it provide some of the funniest and most entertaining scenes in the film, but it also just shows the depth of characters, they all have varied opinions, and some characters choose to get involved, whereas others steer clear - and this variety really means that the characters feel realistic and multidimensional. It definitely feels like a lot of big personality characters are put together here, with each one of them having a big impact on the story, typically this can end badly, but here they seem to bounce off each other well, resulting in exciting, immersive and genuinely thrilling scenes. The subtle mood changes in the characters are awesome too, seeing how the characters subtly change their personalities slightly when Marta receives the inheritance feels clever, because it is clear how each of them feel about it, which gives us a good idea across the board of their emotions and feelings - and the stalking and threats also help to intensify the film, as well as adding a new twist to the characters - adding to their tangled and in-depth personalities.

One thing I have to point out though is Daniel Craig, he is fantastic here and I really didn't expect him to be so well suited to the role, but he is absolutely amazing, the way he speaks, the way he acts, his emotions and facial expressions, it all comes together to create a genuinely exciting investigator who adds a real sense of laughter and excitement when he is on screen, I mean the donut analogy was so strange, but it just worked - and that's because of how good he is at really transforming into the character - and when he works out more and more information, he subtly shows excitement, furthermore adding to the really powerful and great character. To be honest, though, I loved all of the characters here, subtle lines like "Mine, I mean my families, my Father's" goes a long way and shows good attention to detail, because the film throws a lot of bait to the. audience like the quote above, upon hearing this I thought "hmm he definitely seems to be glad about his Father's passing", but this film throws a lot of bait, and by doing so gets us really immersed in what is going on.

I love the twists that the characters bring even at the end though, ruling it as a suicide, and then the confusion when Benoit keeps describing what happened and unravelling the whole story is so exciting, because not only does it give us closure, but it also completely surprises us and all of these twists just makes the film feel so fast-paced and exciting, even towards the end of the film! Even elements such as Ransom going to stab Marta and then finding out it is a prop plastic knife is hilarious and feels really clever, especially because of the awesome cinematic beforehand. Each of the actors puts in a great performance in their own way, and I would honestly be surprised if none of them won an award for their performance here - all across the board they were fantastic, it would be wrong to claim that there was a standout performance here, because they were all amazing (although I did describe Craig's performance, simply because I really wasn't sure if I'd like him in this role or not. But all of the characters felt great).

In all honesty I can't really find something I didn't like about this film, it was immersive, the story was the perfect length and got the balance between feeling exciting, whilst being mysterious and intriguing perfectly - and it results in a really high quality film which can be enjoyed by all. In all honesty, I was surprised that it received only a 7.7 (as of writing this) by IMDb reviews - although a little bird told me that quite a few of those are Star Wars fans who have a vengeance against Rian Johnson. He's silenced them here, with a great performance of directing this film.

Overall, I would give this film a 9.5 out of 10. I'm really on the fence between giving it that and a 10 to be honest, because the film was just so exciting, enjoyable and well made that it genuinely feels like it wouldn't be difficult to argue for giving it a 10, simply because the film feels so well made and put together; whilst providing a really enjoyable and immersive experience for its audience. It's lengthy, but I like it because the film doesn't try to rush anything or conform to a specific length, it takes its time to unravel the story, to get us immersed in the characters and genuinely interested in the plot and it pays off massively. For sure, this is one of my favourite films of the year, and it definitely kept me guessing until the end. I would definitely recommend watching this, regardless of whether you have an unlimited card or not, because this is just such an entertaining and exciting film that it really mustn't be missed - as for me, it is one of my personal favourites of the year.

Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did watching the film and writing this review, I hope you have a lovely day! If you would like to check out my Official Facebook page where you can see sneak previous and more film insights then please consider checking out the link below!

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