'Murder at Blackthorne Manor' Review: Lifetime film is a brilliant homage to classic murder mysteries
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Murder mysteries have a charm of their own. As cinema has evolved, there have been many changes in how crime fiction has been perceived by audiences and filmmakers, and many sub-generes have been created around the it, including virtual and real-time crime dramas. 'Murder at Blackthorne Manor' just released on Lifetime, and the film pays homage to the many films that have been created around the genre. The script is simple and has some jumpscares to offer, but sadly doesn't do much for one's imagination.
The film's cast did a good job of convincing audiences of its potential, but the film still doesn't shine after an hour of play. The cast includes Christie Leverette, James . Pierce III, Veronica Martell and Bobby Slaski in the lead roles.
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Be careful who you trust
'Murder at Blackthorne Manor' comes across like a simple murder mystery where you're sure who the murderer is. And in the end, you're right, too. The film follows Hayley who enjoys creating murder mystery parties at renowned Blackthorne Manor. But when the manor's owner is found dead, Hayley and her colleague must sort through a house full of suspects to identify the murderer. Hayley is claustrophobic and suffers from nyctophobia. The plot explores itself and the characters, showing every element of the character that can be used later in the story. On one of the mystery weekends, the owner of the house, Charles Benedict (James A Pierce III), is murdered. Hayley doesn't know what to do and is the first to discover the body. The best part of the plot is that Hayley and her team don't tell the guests of the mystery game throughout the movie. So when the guests think that the plot has been greatly enhanced, they're actually dealing with a real murder.
Doesn't hit the spot
The production strives for a plot that will produce the best crime story, but fails drastically. Even the cinematography fails, and the entire film is a dark shade of blue. Crime music plays in the background throughout the film, but without a great plot, even that is a failure. You do see the characters running and trying to find answers, but they do not do it very well. And it's pretty incredible how the guests do not know what's going on and still think it's all part of the game. Although the plot and production had their intentions in the right place, the plot let the whole film down along the way.
All in all, you should watch 'Murder at Blackthorne Manor' and develop your own theories and ideas about it. The film is available exclusively on the Lifetime channel.
