Over the past few years, there’s been a reinvigorated interest in Hollywood when it comes to the ‘whodunit’ movies, which doesn’t come as a surprise. In today’s world where every movie wants to send a message or stand for something, the whodunit genre is only concerned about keeping the audiences on the edge of their seats until the very last moment, through plot twists.
And it seems to work! You only have to take a look at the box office collection of 2019’s Knives Out to know what we’re talking about. That said, with the announcement of Knives Out 2 hitting the theatres sometime later this year, we’ve compiled a list of 7 similar movies which you need to check out.
7) Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Perhaps better known as “that movie with Jessica Rabbit,” this 80s thriller is one hell of a roller coaster ride through murder plots, conspiracies, and a lot of cartoons, or should we say toons? Starring Bob Hoskins in the lead as a hardboiled detective, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) may not be as intense as some of the other entries on our list, but we still recommend sticking out for the ride.
6) The Nice Guys (2016)
If there’s anyone who’s cracked the formula for making modern-day Noir movies, it is Shane Black. Apart from the ill-fated Predator movie, the director has had a consistent track record with movies like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, and of course, 2016’s The Nice Guys. Starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in the lead, the movie might lean towards a detective noir more than a whodunit, but it still more than makes up for itself with its humor and some incredible performances by the leads.
5) Brick (2005)
Before Knives Out, The Last Jedi, or even Looper, Rian Johnson flexed his director muscles with 2005’s Brick, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead, who’s trying to find the killers of his ex-girlfriend. What we like about Brick, is how it brings down the noir genre into a high-school setting, without making itself into a parody.
4) Rear Window
Even after the turn of a century, no one has come close to Alfred Hitchcock when it comes down to presenting a murder mystery (yes, I am biased). Among many of his iconic movies, Rear Window stands out as one of the most memorable ones. The plot focuses on a wheelchair-bound James Stewart who witnesses a crime from his apartment. While that sound like a straightforward crime drama, the audience is soon led to question Stewart’s sanity, as he struggles with his isolation.
3) The Usual Suspects
Bryan Singer became a household name, no not because of the X-Men movies, but because of the 1995’s The Usual Suspects. Unlike most entries on the list, the film is a fast-paced thriller jumping between the narrations of different unreliable narrators. Not to mention, very few films have come close to presenting the late plot twist of the movie in the same capacity as The Usual Suspects.
2) Clue
Based on the popular board game of the same name, Clue on the surface is a dark comedy film with a core of a murder mystery. The plot follows six blackmail victims being invited to an isolated mansion by a mysterious man, who knows a dark secret from their pasts. What follows is a maze-like journey involving a murder mystery and finding clues on who might’ve done it.
1) Murder On The Orient Express
No other movie defines the whodunit genre better than Murder On The Orient Express. The setting is simple. A murder has been committed on a moving train, which also happens to have the world’s best detective Hercule Poirot on board. What follows is a slow-burn investigation, which reveals a lot of twists you’d never see coming.
