This movie is an excellent sophomore entry in the series, not eclipsing the original but holding its own as both a sequel and standalone murder mystery. The protagonist pair is a delight to watch, as before, and the solution to the mystery is excellent.
Closest comparison: It’s like The Thin Man, leaning a bit toward Murder on the Orient Express.
Setting: Period RomCom
Plot: Mystery
Tone: Mysery
This is an excellent cozy mystery, with enough of a veneer of noir to appeal to even those who are indifferent to the genre. The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is as palpable as it is adorable, and somehow manages not to detract from the mystery but enhance it. Everyone is a viable suspect until the last clue is in place, and the mystery comes together very well in the end.
Closest comparison: It’s like Partners in Crime (1983) by way of The Maltese Falcon.
Setting: Noir
Plot: Mystery
Tone: Romantic Comedy
This movie has an amazing style somewhere between Sin City and Edward Scissorhands, but it’s plot and execution is so wildly ill-advised that it’s surprising it got made. It serves as a warning to anyone attempting to make a film that purports to be for children in its intellectual property, style, and tone, but insists on including mistreatment and exploitation of women in a gritty gangster plot.
Content warning: female nudity
Closest comparison: It’s like The Maltese Falcon by way of Speed Racer (2008).
Setting: Noir
Plot: Detective
Tone: Adventure
This movie is a meticulously, even beautifully handcrafted telling of a story so grim, gritty, sordid, and vile that it doesn’t merit being told. It’s remarkable how good the film-making is, being one of the only movies that makes long-form research genuinely compelling, interesting, and even gripping. But there’s no redeeming value to the story’s conclusion, no satisfactory result that makes the slough of watching the story unfold worth having been watched. Daniel Craig’s accent goes in and out (mostly out), but it barely rates mentioning against the mountain of other flaws in the film.
Content warning: female nudity, graphic sex, rape
Closest comparison: It’s like Dolores Claiborne (1995) by way of Se7en.
Setting: Police Procedural
Plot: Detective
Tone: Psychological Horror
This is a straightforward detective movie with all the quaintness of the era. The story isn’t the kind that the audience can solve as they watch, but its adventure is fun to watch as the characters go through it. It is only a slightly more interesting story than its contemporary peers, but with a runtime of only about an hour it doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Closest comparison: It’s like The Riverside Murder crossed with Tintin.
Setting: Crime
Plot: Detective
Tone: Adventure
It's good. It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's honestly pretty bland. For all the acting and directing talent available it is not very impressive, except for a few pretty great 'oners' if you're looking for them. If you're familiar with the story this movie holds no surprises for you. If not, it's a classic and this is a solid adaptation.
