A Star-Studded Agatha Christie Murder Mystery Movie Was Overshadowed By Knives Out

Everyone loves a good whodunnit. After all, these types of murder mysteries have been all the rage since the mainstream popularity of the detective mystery genre in the 1900s, where the term was first used in a 1930 novel review. Genre authors like Agatha Christie, G.K. Chesterton, and Nicholas Blake (among many others) helped establish the conventional traits of a whodunnit, such as the clever placement of red herrings and the use of specific settings (like an island or mansion) to heighten the stakes.

Christie's oeuvre is a special one, and her whodunnit mysteries hold value and appeal to this day; one only has to look at the string of Kenneth Branagh-helmed adaptations, including the fairly recent "A Haunting in Venice," to see that adaptations are still being made. An astute fictional detective like Hercule Poirot makes for an intriguing addition to a case that's tough to crack, as he brings a sense of refreshing eccentricity to such morbid subject matters. Even in the case of whodunnits that are merely inspired by Christie's literary ethos, we have similar detective figures whose presence enlivens the process of solving a mystery. Benoit Blanc is a good example of this, where he brings an inimitable set of skills to every "Knives Out" mystery that appears a bit too convoluted at first glance.

Blanc's charming presence is not the only reason why Rian Johnson's first entry in the series, 2019's "Knives Out," is such a sensational success. We have an ensemble cast that's incredible across the board, and the film's comical proclivities mesh well with the more dramatic reveals peppered throughout. Moreover, "Knives Out" takes the traditional tropes of a whodunnit and casts them into the blockbuster mold, a combination that has borne fruit for Johnson two times so far.

But another star-studded murder mystery was overshadowed by the popular shadow of "Knives Out," even though it was released two years before Johnson's film. This Christie adaptation, titled "Crooked House," still remains overlooked, but is it any good?

In Agatha Christie's "The Crooked House," the saga of the Leonides family spans three generations, where the mystery in question is rife with shocking twists and compelling red herrings. In many ways, Johnson's "Knives Out" draws elements from Christie's 1949 detective fiction, which also features the sudden death of the family head and the convoluted motivations that make every family member a potential suspect.

Gilles Paquet-Brenner's 2017 adaptation of the novel remains faithful to this premise, unfolding like a drawing room mystery that should have intensified the intrigue that comes with a murder inside a mansion. Alas, Paquet-Brenner's "Crooked House" is only vaguely serviceable in its handling of the source material, as the adaptation makes no effort to scratch beneath the surface.

In the film, private eye Charles Hayward (Max Irons) gets a visit about the sudden death of a controversial tycoon, leading him to team up with Scotland Yard's Inspector Taverner (Terence Stamp). The two head to the Leonides estate, where every family member is gathered (everyone from Glenn Close to Gillian Anderson to Christina Hendricks is part of this ensemble cast) until the perpetrator is identified. While the mystery is allowed to take its course, we are treated to the mansion's breathtaking interiors, which reveal more about the characters than the lackluster charade that they're a part of. Bits and pieces of the story manage to be satisfying, especially the ending, which exposes way more than the identity of the killer. But why would anyone look back at this mediocre whodunnit when the tense, brilliant "Knives Out" plays on the same tropes with pitch-perfect success?

"The Crooked House" might be enjoyable for those who hold admiration for the 1949 novel, but there's little to look forward to beyond that direct comparison. Even with a stacked cast who play their respective parts as well as they can under the circumstances, this ship sinks even before it sets out on a voyage, as it's bogged down by its drabness. The fact that the novel's 2008 radio play adaptation (starring Rory Kinnear and Anna Maxwell Martin) emerges as an infinitely more delightful take on the story than this full-fledged feature speaks volumes about what 2017's "The Crooked House" has in store.