Rian Johnson is a director who has been
talked about with his line of work. Some were very mixed on his films over the
years, most particularly his addition to the Star Wars franchise with Last
Jedi. His track record may have been hit or miss for some, but his new film
Knives Out, some of his critics may
have to consider his talent now. Knives
Out may very well be the best film under Rian Johnson’s name as it manages
to be a very intriguing and very clever twist on the classic “who done it” type
story. It takes all the elements that Johnson is good at and elevates them big
time in one of the most unique and well written films of this entire year.
Twists
and Turns At the Most Unique Times
When a famous author named Harlan Thrombey gets murdered after a family gathering,
detective Benoit Blanc
(Daniel Craig), has to figure out who has accomplished the murder of especially
when every single member of his dysfunctional family is a suspect in their own
right. The film has a basic set up for the classic murder mystery, however what
makes this film excel even further is the execution. The film takes a turn of
twists by showing the audiences a lot of answers to the key mystery at hand
early on which could sound like the film is spoiling the audience too early.
Yet this works for the film because the film still even more captivating as we
become curious to see how these characters are involved with this crime and how
some of them could get out of this situation that they are in. It throws the
right amount of curve balls when it comes to how this story is structure at the
right moments, making you very invested in what happens next. Not only that but
the film also is enhanced by a solid script with a lot of really funny moments
and a surprisingly amount of thematic depth in terms of the film being centered
on racism and classism. If there’s any fault with its discussion on these
themes is that sometimes it feels a little forced and heavy handed, but
fortunately the film still keeps the majority of its focus on the murder
mystery and even asks some very fascinating questions in regards to its theme
of colonialism that makes for a very insightful commentary. It helps adds
layers to what already is one of the most gripping murder mystery films to come
out in quite some time in a film that is really enhanced by an incredible
script attached to it.
This
Year’s Most Stellar Cast
You couldn’t name a non-blockbuster
related film in 2019 with a cast as big as this even if you tried. There are so
many fantastic actors and actresses here including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans,
Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette and many more. To add to what
already is a promising cast; every single actor in this film does a phenomenal
job delivering some excellent performances that are all funny, expressive and
memorable. The highlights of the cast might just well be Chris Evans who gives
it his all being in his first major role since leaving the Marvel Cinematic
Universe being a very fun character that makes you wonder what his whole ordeal
is. Other actors and actresses like Michael Shannon, Lakeith Stanfield, and
Toni Collette to name a few also give it their all in their performances with
many humorous and insightful moments to which they all have some great delivery
to an already very well written script. Though maybe the surprising stand out
performance is Ana De Armas who plays a key role in this film and her story is
very enthralling with this character becoming a major player in the story in some
unexpected ways. If there is any downsides to the cast is that Daniel Craig
does take some getting used to in this. His character is still enjoyable being
the main detective who’s very smart in his technique however; his character has
a southern accent that is kind of jarring and hard to get used to at first. The
accent becomes somewhat comical at points which could make some take the
character less seriously than as intended, fortunately you do end up getting used
to it and it ends up having a very funny joke later on relating to his accent
that makes for some great pay off. The script is already pretty great on its
own but the fact they got this stellar of a cast to deliver most of these great
lines makes the film all the more fantastic.
Direction
that Compliments the Story Choices
If there is anything Rian Johnson is also
good at, it’s creating a film that is aesthetically pleasing on a visual level.
Knives Out is a very well-crafted
film with most particularly the editing and the cinematography standing out. Both
of these elements work so well not just because Rian Johnson can make an aesthetically
pleasing cut and shot, but also just through how it helps elevates the story.
Shots are connected very well to one another in a way where watching it unfold,
the transitions from each shot are done very cleverly and aren’t just basic
transitions from one scene to another. More often than not, Knives Out takes this style of editing
and cinematography to its advantage, making a film that is so much better
thought out than the average murder mystery story.
Refreshing
in Every Sense of the Word
Knives Out
stands out big time as one of the most engaging and crafty films in an already
fantastic year for film. Its style, characters and all around change up of
famous tropes easily turns Knives Out
into one of the year’s biggest surprises. Rian Johnson has shown to be very
talented and can make a great original film outside of the typical studio
system. Despite its faults at points, Knives
Out is a must see for anyone craving for something original and
entertaining this holiday season.
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