'Knives Out' sees Daniel Craig play a detective with his signature flamboyance and an unusual comedic twist to watch out for
One of the classic murder mysteries of our times, 'Knives Out' has been revamped with an extremely modern take, courtesy Rian Johnson.
But as the skilled director, who both helmed the project and wrote the script for the film, brings his new-age take on the tale to the table, the biggest treat to watch out for will be 21st Century's favorite 007, Daniel Craig.
Craig puts on his detective cap once again, but this time with a comedic twist — the kind that is quite reminiscent of his work in the iconic heist movie 'Logan Lucky'.
The story of 'Knives Out' is pretty quirky, to begin with. Focusing on a dysfunctional family that's thriving on riches, the build-up to the big murder mystery is catalyzed by the existing family dynamics within the story.
At the top of the food chain is renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) — the focus of all things thrilling about to unfold when he mysteriously dies within the premise of the family estate right after his 85th birthday.
Harlan's children are his crafty daughter Linda, played by Jamie Lee Curtis and the differently-abled Walt, played by Michael Shannon. Rounding up the cast of extended families related to Harlan's kids will be some big names like Toni Collette, Chris Evans, and also Katherine Langford along with Don Johnson.
Add to this mix the effortlessly charming detective Benoit Blanc played by Craig and voila — the mystery is unputdownable.
As is obvious from the trailer, the thrill and excitement over an otherwise basic plot of a cat-and-mouse chase of whodunnit are amplified by the Agatha Christie-Esque pace of the way the mystery unfolds.
There's an air of something sinister happening on the sidewalks of the delectable plot which is reigned in by the actioned brought into the tale through Blanc's expertise in his profession, and of course, the cops investigating Harlan's murder.
But what sets 'Knives Out' apart from other similar contemporaries like 'Murder on the Orient Express' is Blanc's character, who is basically Christie's phenomenal Hercule Poirot with a cartoonish air about his business.
Over the years, Craig has wowed and amazed us with his stellar work in the James Bond franchise. Be it the signature sultry sulk he often sports or the husky nature of his voice, modulated to perfection, to achieve just that right amount of enticement from viewers — Craig has excelled every time he has put on the Bond persona.
But as he sheds the Bond cap and becomes Blanco, he excels at being more than just the quiet detective, solemnly and steady spotting the lies and loopholes that his suspects can't wait to get out of their system.
When the thrill of the joyride speeds up, it is Craig's Blanco and his unique accent that rolls the dice of trying to captivate viewers' attention with his suspicions of foul play, while also amusing us in the process.
In that, Craig goes all out to become Blanco who is way more out there even though Bond is the one we see indulging in stunts and life-threatening action more than Blanco ever would, or so teases the trailer.
As Johnson goes about reinventing the murder-mystery genre with his modern-day take on 'Knives Out', the trailer at least makes it clear that if there's one thing that's holding Harlan's precious hot mess of a family together after his death, it's Blanco.
And that's not just because he won't allow the family to leave the house's premises in the wake of the patriarch's death. Craig's Blanco has the skills and suaveness that his Bond did, but he is subtly way more humorous than Bond could ever be.
The shifty stares, the looming glare of suspicion and the impeccable wardrobe choices are things that might remind fans of the menacing Bond about to jump on the roof of a car to take out his next target.
But in the end, it is the humor quotient — brimming with quick quips and sharp wit that will make all that action-packed adventure just a bonus — or the mere icing to the proverbial cake.
Sure, Craig as a detective is a concept difficult to grasp without memories of Bond overshadowing our minds, but it is Blanco's sense of humor that's to watch out for in the upcoming film — something that might emerge to be quite the win-win!
'Knives Out' releases in theatres worldwide on Wednesday, November 27.