One of the most awaited films of 2019 has had its premiere at Toronto International Film Festival. And critics, as well as early viewers, agree – it’s a blast!
As I fiddle in my seat, here in Warsaw, my thoughts and span of attention are on the other side of the globe. TIFF is in its full now, although we still have to process how Biennale 2019 was.
The first revelation of TIFF 2019 is here, and its author is Rian Johnson.
His “Knives Out” opened to truly awe-inspiring reception, with lots of praise shot at various directions. No surprise comes from the fact that Johnson’s movie sails smoothly thanks to its cast. Among them, people often recalled Daniel Craig’s performance as the one true stand-out, but the accolades landed next to the names of Chris Evans, Toni Collette and Ana de Armas too.
Many tweets and opinions explained that, much like the Korean Cannes hit “Parasite”, Rian Johnson’s movie trifles with the whodunit pattern, and delivers a fantastic story where mysteries and lies give away all the fun, but there is a deeper meaning to the film as it criticises the richers’ buffoonery.
Here’s a few Tweets to give you a better image:
Some mentioned that the film was exciting enough to let one forget the unexpected winner of Venice Festival:
And others simply fell in love with Johnson’s writing and the cunning Christie influence.
Do critics love “Knives Out” too?
Yes, critics are also loving “Knives Out”.
Currently the film owns it with 100% score, with 8 reviews calculated.
Indiewire gave the movie A-, and its critic David Ehrlich wrote:
This isn’t just “Murder on the Orient Express” with cell phones, but rather a room-shaking crowdpleaser that reckons with how fresh Agatha Christie’s books felt to those who read them in their time. What starts as a simple murder-mystery soon evolves into a brilliant, almost relentlessly fun examination of how the game has changed in a country where victory can’t afford to be as one-sided as it used to be.
Collider focused on the cast of “Knives Out”, concluding that:
There’s not only not a single weak link in the entire ensemble, it’s also kind of impossible to choose an acting MVP.
Screen Daily’s review has emphasised the way that “Knives Out” has its own way of building a traditional whodunit with contemporary nuances:
As he often does with his films, writer-director Rian Johnson tinkers with genre, relishing its pleasures while upending expectations, which creates a fun game: can we spot the cinematic referencing and figure out which member of a bestselling novelist’s family killed him?
“Knives Out” will start its cinematic circuit in October.
Want some more stuff about festivals?
- Read the full coverage of New Horizons International Film Festival
- Add 10 top movies from Venice Biennale to your watchlist
