Everyone loves a great mystery and they can definitely be enjoyable to watch. It’s especially fun when you’re able to figure out who the culprit was before the main characters, but that’s easier said than done! Also, I’m usually so into the movie that I don’t even take a guess because I’m just focused on the action. This one gives the mystery angle a new spin, but does it work?
The film starts off with several of the world’s greatest detectives as they are invited to a mansion. A murder will be taking place and they must solve the mystery of who committed such a vicious act! The main problem is that the murder hasn’t happened yet, so how can they solve it? The detectives are all professionals, but some of them definitely seem smarter than the others. I will go more into depth with the characters later on in the review, since they essentially make or break the film for you.
The butler is blind, but does that make him a suspect or should we cross him off the list? Either way, he definitely knows his way around the house and he performs admirably. A cook also comes in later, but she is deaf and mute. She also cannot read so this makes things pretty intriguing. Will they be able to work together, or will the challenge be too much for them?
Their host is Lionel Twain and he has come with a very bold challenge to the detectives. He will create a murder that they won’t be able to solve and he will truly be the smartest man in the world. If they do solve the case, they’ll get a nice sum of money to add to their bank account. The detectives feel that they have the upper hand since Twain is obviously the murderer….right!? Once the clock strikes midnight, then the victim appears and the body may shock you!
The detectives scramble to find out what happened and quickly try to solve the case. It’s certainly a tough one and now the detectives must each solve their own dire situation and hopefully escape with their lives, while solving the case in the process. Things prove to be dire and time is definitely not on their side!
Let’s talk about the first group of detectives, Sidney Wang and Willie. Willie isn’t really a detective and he’s actually here to carry Wang’s bags and do the daily errands. Sidney is pretty smart and he likes to (Not so) subtly insult Willie whenever he gets a chance. He’s definitely one of the more prepared detectives in the film and certainly one of the best characters. He knows a lot so the other detectives better watch out for what he may say. He prefers not to use pronouns, but then again…who does!?
Next up we have Dick Charleston and Doris Charleston. They definitely act the most like Sherlock Holmes and they definitely seem to be smart. Unlike Wang and Willie Dick and Doris are both pretty smart and help in key parts of the case. Dick tries to keep Doris out of the conversations when things get “Official” but she still ends up making statements when she wants too. She has learned with the best after all. They also had a dog who was pretty hardcore for the entirety of the film. The villains couldn’t lay a hand on him!
We’ve also got Milo and Marcel. They were some of the weaker characters and definitely did not seem to be quite as smart as the first few detectives. Milo really wanted his snacks, but there weren’t many to be found since they were cheated out of their soup. Marcel is pretty strong, but not quite as quick as the other guys. The statue actually hit him, which was definitely sad for the poor guy. He did have his big moment towards the end.
Jessica Marbles and Miss Withers also come into the picture, but their roles are smaller than the others. They entered the film later than the others and I never found them to be very impressive. Miss Withers couldn’t really move and is very old. Jessica Marbles may have solved some mysteries in her day, but they don’t seem to have been as complicated as the ones that Mr. Charleston probably faced.
Finally, we have Sam Diamond and Tess Skeffington. Sam is pretty tough and he definitely seems to have a meaner edge to him than the other detectives. He’s not here to shoot the breeze or have a merry time. To him, the case is serious business and he came prepared. While he brought a gun, the other detectives are basically defenseless. Tess is pretty fit and was able to walk a long distance more than once to get supplies. She may not be the detective, but she does have a “twist” that helps them wrap things up.
Speaking of the “twists”, that was one of the best parts of the film. You probably remember the old “Luke, I’m YOUR FATHER!!!!!” saying from Star Wars right? This is similar, but just about all of the characters have a plot twist at around the same time. It’s definitely intense and not something that you will be forgetting anytime soon. The ending develops in a similar fashion and it’s not something that you will want to forget. It’s one of the best endings that I’ve seen in a long time! Maybe top 3 mystery movie endings.
I highly recommend checking this film out. It’s pretty funny and the detectives are mostly all solid characters. I wouldn’t say that any of the characters were bad characters and that is definitely saying something! The plot twists that keep coming will have you stay entertained for the entirety of the film and the traps at the end are epic. There’s even a bomb in the film! So, if you thought that Clue was good, then you’ll love this film. It’s a must watch for all mystery fans!
Overall 8/10
