Clue is a fantastic whodunnit that gets as much done with the mystery as it does with the comedy. While there are moments that are tantalizingly tense, it's the ridiculousness and the countless laugh out loud moments that make this film stand apart. As much as it mocks the genre and all its tropes, it also masterfully executes the things that make for a good murder mystery flick.
I'll start with how this film began. Typically these whodunnit type films, or tv shows, start by showing the victim and giving some clues about how they died. They then go on to introducing the potential suspects and ultimately begin the investigation that reaches a satisfying conclusion. Clue, however, took a completely different approach. Indeed, at first, we are introduced to the group of people who seemingly are supposed to be the suspects. But, as quickly becomes evident, no crime or murder has yet taken place. So the mystery, then, isn't one of whodunnit, but one of why are they there. As such, there is a completely different atmosphere as the characters not only get to know each other but also try to piece together the reason they have been brought together. And as the film finally gets around to explaining why this particular group of people are together in that particular place, the first murder finally takes place.
But, unlike the typical murder that needs to be solved, which is carefully executed without leaving any trace behind, this one seems to be accidental. And this is where the comedy ensues. The characters are all very different and somehow manage to form hilarious and wonderfully unique relationships with one another. As they start to solve the murder that took place right before their eyes, they quickly realize that things aren't as they seem. Indeed, it almost seems as if there is someone else in the house as well, when in fact, they were supposed to be alone. However, as they go on the search for the unknown mystery killer, they have to put trust in one another, despite not knowing who the killer might be.
The thing that made Clue so great was its ability to do things differently. The whole whodunnit genre often feels like it's following a very strict predetermined formula. And while that formula can work wonders if done correctly, (e.g. Knives Out), it still feels familiar. It's easy to guess how the movie will progress and how it will ultimately end. While the identity of the killer is a mystery until the very end, or at least it should be, the structure and flow feel predictable. With Clue, however, I couldn't have guessed what was going to happen next. It is untraditional at its core, and it somehow manages to make the genre feel fresh and fun, and stupendously entertaining, while still capturing the tensions and mystery that make these films so good. Since it approaches the topic from a completely different standpoint, there was a lot of freedom in the execution. Instead of introducing an all-knowing detective who has never failed to crack a case, the suspects are the ones trying to solve the mystery. Instead of focusing on one masterfully done murder, bodies drop here and there and none of the murders seem to make any sense. And, instead of revealing it all in one final grandiose show of brilliant thinking from the detective (you know the kind of scene I'm talking about), there are three equally ridiculous and plausible conclusions. And although the film does say that one of them shows what really happened, due to the way they are presented, I can't help but feel that there was some conclusion that we didn't see, which very well might've been the actual chain of events. But ultimately, this film made it irrelevant what actually happened. The whodunnit genre typically relies on a satisfying conclusion that gives an answer to every question. But Clue, in its attempt to ridicule the rigidity and seriousness of the genre, makes the ending feel like the least important part.
Having recently watched Knives Out and absolutely loving it, I was in need of another great whodunnit. Thankfully, Clue, which I had been eyeing for a while, delivered exactly what I needed and more. Despite being truly different in comparison to so many of the more serious entries in the genre, it still captured the essence that makes these films what they are. Usually, I have some sort of idea about who the murderer is, even if I'm ultimately wrong, but with this one, I have to admit, I was absolutely clueless (heh, see what I did there) until the very end. Clue isn't just a wonderful murder mystery flick, it's also a great comedy, and somehow, it makes those two genres mix perfectly.
I'll start with how this film began. Typically these whodunnit type films, or tv shows, start by showing the victim and giving some clues about how they died. They then go on to introducing the potential suspects and ultimately begin the investigation that reaches a satisfying conclusion. Clue, however, took a completely different approach. Indeed, at first, we are introduced to the group of people who seemingly are supposed to be the suspects. But, as quickly becomes evident, no crime or murder has yet taken place. So the mystery, then, isn't one of whodunnit, but one of why are they there. As such, there is a completely different atmosphere as the characters not only get to know each other but also try to piece together the reason they have been brought together. And as the film finally gets around to explaining why this particular group of people are together in that particular place, the first murder finally takes place.
But, unlike the typical murder that needs to be solved, which is carefully executed without leaving any trace behind, this one seems to be accidental. And this is where the comedy ensues. The characters are all very different and somehow manage to form hilarious and wonderfully unique relationships with one another. As they start to solve the murder that took place right before their eyes, they quickly realize that things aren't as they seem. Indeed, it almost seems as if there is someone else in the house as well, when in fact, they were supposed to be alone. However, as they go on the search for the unknown mystery killer, they have to put trust in one another, despite not knowing who the killer might be.
The thing that made Clue so great was its ability to do things differently. The whole whodunnit genre often feels like it's following a very strict predetermined formula. And while that formula can work wonders if done correctly, (e.g. Knives Out), it still feels familiar. It's easy to guess how the movie will progress and how it will ultimately end. While the identity of the killer is a mystery until the very end, or at least it should be, the structure and flow feel predictable. With Clue, however, I couldn't have guessed what was going to happen next. It is untraditional at its core, and it somehow manages to make the genre feel fresh and fun, and stupendously entertaining, while still capturing the tensions and mystery that make these films so good. Since it approaches the topic from a completely different standpoint, there was a lot of freedom in the execution. Instead of introducing an all-knowing detective who has never failed to crack a case, the suspects are the ones trying to solve the mystery. Instead of focusing on one masterfully done murder, bodies drop here and there and none of the murders seem to make any sense. And, instead of revealing it all in one final grandiose show of brilliant thinking from the detective (you know the kind of scene I'm talking about), there are three equally ridiculous and plausible conclusions. And although the film does say that one of them shows what really happened, due to the way they are presented, I can't help but feel that there was some conclusion that we didn't see, which very well might've been the actual chain of events. But ultimately, this film made it irrelevant what actually happened. The whodunnit genre typically relies on a satisfying conclusion that gives an answer to every question. But Clue, in its attempt to ridicule the rigidity and seriousness of the genre, makes the ending feel like the least important part.
Having recently watched Knives Out and absolutely loving it, I was in need of another great whodunnit. Thankfully, Clue, which I had been eyeing for a while, delivered exactly what I needed and more. Despite being truly different in comparison to so many of the more serious entries in the genre, it still captured the essence that makes these films what they are. Usually, I have some sort of idea about who the murderer is, even if I'm ultimately wrong, but with this one, I have to admit, I was absolutely clueless (heh, see what I did there) until the very end. Clue isn't just a wonderful murder mystery flick, it's also a great comedy, and somehow, it makes those two genres mix perfectly.