Review of Clue (1985) by Nic B — 20 Sep 2010

LAUGH OUT LOUD HUMOUR FROM START TO FINISH.

Films based on computer games tend to be, well let's face it, rubbish. These type of films will always need an Angelina Jolie or pointless action sequences in order to make the film even slightly engaging.

You would expect a film based on a board game to be even worse. How wrong one person can be.

The film doesn't take itself at all seriously and while based on the Murder Mystery Board Game (The Characters, the Rooms and the weapons are all present and it is a murder mystery), it is pure comedy from start to finish.

Set in the 1950's a group of people are invited to a mysterious mansion house by a mysterious person to complete some business with a Mr Boddy, anyone who's ever played Cluedo or Clue (The America Name) can pretty much guess the plot from there. Someone ends up dead and there is a frantic, fast paced quest to find out who the murderer is, what room they committed the murder in and what weapon was used.

The ensemble cast is brilliant, with Tim Curry and Christoper Lloyd the stand out performers. Tim Curry, as Wadsworth, the British Butler was excellent and at no point did he falter in keeping the comedic pace going. Christopher Lloyd as Professor Plum was absolutley hilarious, although in a role slightly different from the crazy roles that you may be used to seeing him in.

The rest of the cast played their roles to perfection, even though a few of the roles may have been slightly more short-lived than the rest.

If you are looking for a serious murder mystery then this is seriously not the film you are looking for. If you are looking for a couple of hours a laugh out loud nonsense in the spirit of "Murder by Death" with a touch of "Police Squad" humour thrown in, then give this film a try.