I feel like Rian was mailing this one in. First, i'm not a fan of the way the title is written. A franchise called "Knives Out" is awkward. The set up is intriguing, and definitely had me going...

until the interlude. You'll know when you get there. It really felt cheap and too convenient and easy, and once the reveal happens it becomes less a murder mystery and more a sanctimonious expose on the evil rich guy trope.

The characters are tired cliches, and there is zero chemistry between any of them. We're supposed to believe these people are old friends, and although there is credible animosity between some of them...it is contrived as hell once the full plot comes together.

The first movie was a compelling, interesting story. This feels like it started out that way, and then fell apart with overwriting, and trying too hard. Coincidentally, there is a puzzle box that comes to every "guest" invited to a murder mystery party by a rich "genius" (Edward Norton) and it is supposed to be this complex puzzle that really turns out to be kind of easy to solve (and i'm not sure it's ever revealed how it was conceived). That's exactly how this movie plays out...except Rian Johnson comes off more like the guy than i think he'd be willing to admit.

Daniel Craig is good, and Benoit is fun (even though he's just a retread of every successful detective character, including Columbo). But even his character gets bogged down in moral superiority toward the end.

I believe this guy can write, and he can come up with something better than this. Hoping the next movie is more like the first.

out of

also, pro tip: when your ad campaign includes teases like an assortment of cameos, you know you're in trouble. a lot of times, cameos are used as patchwork to cover up a weak project.

You liked it more than dry Ben.

I thought Knives Out was painfully boring. I look forward to not watching this one.

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I'd give it 3 out of 4. I liked the fact that he changed the tone of this with more humor. I also thought that the cliche elements were intentional as part of the less serious vibe.

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Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.- JD Vance
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus. - Turkish Proverb

Matt: "He was the one who died and rose again."

God: "No, he rotted in the cave."

Matt: "HAHA What?!"

God: "Jesus had an identical twin brother. That's who everyone saw a few days later. Thus, the confusion."

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

Maybe they'll come out with another Fast and Furious sequel that will keep your interest.

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Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.- JD Vance
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus. - Turkish Proverb

It wasn't funny enough to outweigh the convoluted plot and ridiculous characters.

I kinda stop having fun if it’s a cheap parlor trick.

There should’ve been some kind of reveal that Johnson had to let us know he didn’t think we were as dumb as the characters he created.

The review Shapiro linked is pretty spot on.

Look ladies, if you want to go natural with the armpits, do it on your own time. I don’t want to see it on my movie stars especially when sleeveless.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Just watched it.

I liked the original one, but this was was so far away from that vibe that it lost me pretty quickly. I thought the first 15 minutes or so was pretty decent, but then it just got boring to the point that by 60 minutes in, I just didn’t care anymore (we did finish it, though).

Overall, I have to agree with W_Z’s review.

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Not a mult.