KNIVES - Not all It's Cut out for - An Agatha Christie Clever Plot It Doesn't Got

KNIVES is a whodunnit with some bankable stars directed by Rian Johnson ("Star Wars: The Last Jedi").  It's not got a whole lot of intrigue to conspire to create a clever murder mystery plot. As Detective Blanc (Daniel Craig) says "It's a donut hole within a hole of a donut."  It's elementary, KNIVES does not a hold a whole lot sense.  The ensemble cast can't cover-up the missing pieces of suspense, ominous foreboding or amusing family dysfunction.  The Thrombey family assembles to celebrate its patriarch Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) on the evening of his 85th birthday.  The family gathers around the hearth in a house straight out of an Agatha Christie novel with howling hounds on the grounds.  Earlier in the day, Harlan was getting his house in order with his ne'er-do-well progenies.  The motley mix of family members include son Walt (Michael Shannon), daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and grandson Ransom (Chris Evans).  There are more sparring, self-indulgent spoiled siblings & off-springs.  It's a high offense to engage A list actors in a vehicle that's a wreckage with an added gratuitous car chase.  Harlan's death is revealed later the night of his birthday  celebrated by family with 2 non-family members present; the housekeeper and Harlan's young, doe eyed nurse/companion Marta (Ana de Armas).  Herein lies a clue: Ana ain't able to carry the heavy load of this film on her pretty head.  Foul play is surmised with Harlan's apparent suicide.  It's up to the local police & Det. Blanc to uncover the truth.  Blanc in his southern brawl tells us all "There is the inevitability of truth.  It's what you do with it that matters."  This is stolen from Sherlock Holmes: "The impossible, whatever remains, however improbably, must be the truth."  There's an admirable attempt at addressing illegal immigrants but it warranted more gravitas.  Harlan's daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) thinks her father's death feels more like one of the games he plays.  "I'm waiting for the big payoff" she quips which is like "Waiting for Godot."  KNIVES is mildly amusing but it doesn't cut it as a sordid, suspenseful or revelatory sleuth picture.  It's no enigma why Rian Johnson was fired by Disney from directing future "Star Wars" sequels.  The conundrum with this obfuscating mystery is the ripoff at the box-office.  It's enough to make you puke!