Category Archives: Mystery

Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Force of Nature: The Dry 2

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: March 10, 2024
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2024

Review

Yesterday evening I went to see the next instalment of Jane Harper’s adaptation of Federal Agent Aaron Falk in The Dry 2: Force of Nature.

It isn’t a sequel to the first instalment which was released in 2021 but I can perhaps see why after the success of The Dry, why the film has attached itself in this way. The only overlap is the character of Aaron Falk and you don’t need to have seen the first film in order to understand anything about this one. I had re-watched the first instalment during the day for a refresher and just in case there was any carry over link – I can confirm, there is not.

While I did enjoy Force of Nature, it unfortunately does fall short compared to the first. The sub-plot storyline didn’t feel to add to the main story line and felt a lot like filler. I can see parallels to the first film and the use of the two storylines against each other flashing between past and present, it just didn’t really pay off in this instalment. I am not sure if we were to ever believe there could have been a link and it doesn’t feel to have the same resolution for the character as in the first one.

The main storyline however was quite compelling, and I did not guess how it was going to end up. I think it would be quite impossible to work that out! I do like these kinds of stories as nothing is black and white. There is depth to the characters – no one is truly innocent nor evil.

In addition to the storyline being different between the two films, so is the setting. While still set in the state of Victoria, Australia, Force of Nature is set in the fictional Giralang Ranges where one of the filming locations used was the Dandenong Ranges, which I have spent a bit of time around this year as part of training for the Oxfam Trailwalker event last week. It was nice to have memories of those hikes as well as understanding the confusion that can happen while you are out hiking in bushland if you do not know where you are going. One wrong turn could have you lost and even if the characters had their phones, service would have been unlikely. As in many Australian films, the scenery becomes another character within the film and as the title implies, the same is true in this film.

The cast is a strong one lead once again by Eric Bana and filled with many familiar Australian faces including Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (who returns as Aaron’s father in the flashback scenes), Jacqueline McKenzie, Anna Torv, Richard Roxburgh, and Deborra-Lee Furness.

Force of Nature may not live up to the expectations of The Dry but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth seeing. That might also be an unfair thing to say given this this story isn’t a true sequel. That said, it is probably one to leave until it appears on streaming services.

Rating:  Good

Crime, Mystery, Thriller

The Dry

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Date watched: March 10, 2024
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2024

Review

In preparation for seeing The Dry 2: Force of Nature, I decided to give The Dry a re-watch. I had initially seen it at the cinemas when released in 2021 and it is currently streaming on Stan.

The Dry is based on the novel of the same name (which I have not read) by Jane Harper and is about Federal Agent ‘Aaron Falk’ (played by Eric Bana) who returns to his hometown to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke who has killed his family and then himself in a murder-suicide. Aaron is called into action to go back home for lying about something that happened 20 years ago which ended up driving him out of town. Luke is also called out for lying about the same thing – the death of Ellie, a friend of the boys at the time.

Set in regional Victoria, the story flashes between the cases from the past and present as there may be a connection. Will Aaron need to face his past and tell the truth in order to help work out if Luke really did commit the crime which he has been blamed for?

The Dry will keep you guessing who did it and why, with several twists and turns along the way. Reflecting back on my initial feelings after the first viewing, this one really kept me on my toes right up until the end. On second viewing, although knowing the outcome, I was still highly invested in the story and perhaps picked up on some additional clues.

The performances of the cast are fantastic, as is the look and feel of the film. Particularly the contrast between the past and present from a rich and fertile land to a dry one. A striking visual metaphor are the bushfires raging in the distance approaching closer as the investigation develops.

If you haven’t seen this film, put this one to the top of the list for your next movie night.

Rating:  Great

Comedy, Mystery

See How They Run

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: September 29, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2022

Review

A friend of mine shared the trailer for this film a couple months ago, and I immediately put it on the to see list. I love a murder mystery and I love comedies, so having the two combine was sure to be a winner.

As my birthday fell on a weekday this year and my celebration plans were over the weekend, I decided to treat myself to a weeknight out at the cinema and it just so happened to be the opening week for See How They Run.

I was already in a good mood after watching some cartoons earlier in the afternoon that had me unexpectedly laughing out loud. This set me up for a somewhat awkward evening.

Let me set the scene.

It was a Thursday night so the session wasn’t crowded but there were still a handful of people in the audience. One of the trailers shown was for another film I have been hanging out to see (Bros) and I was laughing all the way through it, yet no one else seemed to be. If any of my fellow audience members thought something was funny, they certainly forgot to tell their vocal cords about it!

The same thing ended up happening during the film – I found plenty of laugh out loud moments, but my fellow cinema goers did not. It didn’t feel as if the jokes went flat and I didn’t hear any grumbling or bad words as people left, so perhaps they were just quiet laughers. And I’ve just been in one too many live studio audiences and have been conditioned to release the laughter!

What I liked the most about See How They Run is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and they really poke fun at every murder mystery trope.

The film is set during the 1950s where a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is being performed on stage in the West End. The play is set to be turned into a film and it is within the theatre where the murder occurs.

And just like a classic Agatha Christie, things are hidden in plain sight. Everything that you need to know is presented right in front of you. I’m usually good at spotting the red herring in these things but I completely fell for it here – hook, line, and sinker!

Not only was I having such a good time, but the story itself is well crafted. Despite the film poking fun at the genre, I wouldn’t call it a parody per se. There is a brilliant scene that sets up the end sequence, but I can’t go into much more than that without revelling some spoilers.

See How They Run also has an all-star line-up and the story is told mostly from the point of view of the two detectives on the case, portrayed by Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan. The story is also told partly from the point of view of the victim, played by Adrien Brody.

With a multitude of funny lines and a stellar cast with solid performances, See How They Run is sure to have you set for an enjoyable evening.

Rating:  Good

Drama, Mystery

Where the Crawdads Sing

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: August 13, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2022

Review

When I saw that Reece Witherspoon’s production company (Hello Sunshine) was behind this film, I knew it was something that I wanted to see. Witherspoon’s name carries great weight to quality storytelling on film and television following the successes of Wild, Gone Girl, and Big Little Lies. She also champions an area that I am very passionate about, female-driven stories.

Set in the late 1950s / early 1960s, Where the Crawdads Sing follows the story of Kya. A young girl from a poor family, who grows up in the marshlands of North Carolina on her own, after being left abandoned by her family. As she grows up, she becomes known as “The Marsh Girl” by the local community.

It’s based on the best-seller novel by Delia Owens, which I hadn’t read prior to seeing the film. The woman sitting next to me in the cinema did tell me that she thought it was a good adaptation.

The film starts off with the discovery of a body in the marsh and uses the technique of flashbacks to delve deeper into how Kya finds herself on trial for murder of the body found. We spend a lot of time looking back before being brought back into the present for short bursts, giving clues to the audience along the way.

It’s through the flashbacks that the film also tackles several confronting themes including domestic abuse, assault, and rape.

While there are some red herrings included (as any murder mystery does) I don’t feel that they were explored far enough to be a legitimate option although it does provide reasonable doubt. If you pay attention, there are clues along the way that hint how the ending will play out. I had the ending worked out around halfway through.

This didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the conclusion, it’s still quite a remarkable and satisfying end. I like trying to work out the riddle and am delighted when I am correct (who isn’t I guess).

However perhaps for this reason, I did feel like the ending dragged out much longer than it needed to. It was almost agony waiting for the reveal. At one point I thought that it wasn’t going to happen, which would have been disappointing as confirmation is a must for this story! The audience deserves it.

Even though most of the story takes place while Kya is on trial, the film leans more into the mystery component than a courtroom drama. This is because a lot of the onscreen time takes place in the flashbacks. I did enjoy the courtroom scenes and would have liked to see a little more of the film in this setting. Kya’s lawyer Tom Milton also gave off some Atticus Finch vibes, down to the white suit.

I found the cinematography very crisp and showed the beauty of the southeast of America. It’s a very clean looking film and it’s that juxtaposition against the topics that are addressed that demonstrates while things may look pretty on the surface, there can be ugliness hidden underneath. Many of the characters are judged based on their appearance but their actions speak volumes as to who they really are.

If I had to take my pick, I’d probably go with Gone Girl over Where the Crawdads Sing. While an unfair comparison as they are based on novels by different authors, that’s just where my personal preference lies.

Where the Crawdads Sing is an enjoyable film that I’d recommend. Probably not one that you need to see at the cinema though.

Rating:  Good

Crime, Mystery

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Date watched: May 20, 2022
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2022

Review

Note: This review contains SPOILERS. So if you wish to watch this film and don’t know who did it, read no further. Go watch the movie or read the book, then come back and continue!

Friday night family movie night and this month it was my mum’s pick with the 1970s version of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. I must admit that I had a small influence in the choice following an episode of Hard Quiz where one of the contestant’s subject was Agatha Christie.

I haven’t read the novel however I have previously seen the Kenneth Branagh film version from 2017, so I knew what the outcome was going to be. That however did not stop any enjoyment in watching this film.

One of the draw factors here is the casting. There are so many big names which was one of the reasons it felt like a good pick for a family movie night. To name just a few that attracted me: Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, and Michael York. In reading some of the film trivia, it was a decision to cast each role with a familiar face to keep the audience guessing due to the number of suspects.

With such a high number of characters and somewhat unusual in a murder mystery that there is only one dead body, it’s a challenge in itself to introduce all the characters while keeping things moving. As no one is expendable we need to learn something about everyone and Murder on the Orient Express does this well. While the train is getting ready to depart we start to meet all the players one by one and instantly get an understanding of some of their characteristics. This is against the backdrop of food being delivered to the train and the hustle and bustle at the station which adds to the chaos building and feels like the story is movie along at good pace.

Another enjoyment factor was the level of humour included, which I wasn’t expecting. Laugh out loud lines too. From Poirot’s friend who runs the Orient Express and the doctor calling out after every interview that “He did it!” to the snarky comments between passengers, it’s a really good use to put the audience at ease before the gut punch revelation at the end.

Albert Finney’s portrayal of the legendary Poirot, which at first I found somewhat odd but by the time the murder occurs and he is in detective gear, really started to gel for me. Finney’s Poirot is full eccentric and his performance is outstanding. The final scene where he brings all the players together to revel the culprit is specular. Accordingly to film trivia the final monologue scene is 8 pages long, with a screen time of 27 minutes and 57 seconds. Each second is fully captivating and runs for the perfect amount of time.

I had such a greater appreciation for the reveal this time around. When I watched the newer version I recall thinking “oh don’t tell me they all did it”. In both versions I felt a bit flat with the outcome but this time less so. The emotiveness in this film really did the story justice which I think come down to the performances of the cast. Firstly the balance between the five lives that were lost causing one man to be killed gives a little more to the “justification” of the murder. Poirot himself is very vocal on this point. Secondly the scene showing each of the players committing the murder builds such an emotional intensity which at times can feel uncomfortable to watch. Especially with how long the scene goes for – watching twelve people stab one person over and over rather than one frantic attack, it’s brutal.

The final scene of the murderers all clinking glasses of champagne rubs me up the wrong way. I’m a fan of films not ending without the traditional “happy ending” yet I’m not sure why I can’t find more satisfaction here. Is it that a bunch of rich people don’t pay the consequences of their actions? Is it because none of them were bad people and don’t feel like they should all go to prison either? Maybe we don’t need to cheer along with them but just understand their grief as Poirot must in order to be ok with not bringing them to justice. Ah, all the feelings!

Murder on the Orient Express is a classic that I would happily recommend to any fan of a murder mystery. I love that I have some conflict on the ending and I am still thinking about it the next day.

Rating:  Good