Review of Clue (1985) by Checkabookout — 10 Feb 2016

Sometimes, the critics can produce some great reviews that make us wonder if we should see this certain movie or not, but on the other hand, they can just be SO CRUEL and shoot down some movies that really doesn't need all this hate. Clue is OH SO one of them.

Clue was a movie released in 1985, distributed by Paramount Pictures, directed by Jonathan Lynn, and was based off the ever-so-popular board game by Parker Brothers.

STORY:

The time is New England, 1954. We arrive at the main setting of the film, the Boddy Mansion. We meet some new characters that weren't originally from the game, Wadsworth the butler(Tim Curry), and Yvette(Colleen Camp). Eventually, we meet the other characters, Col. Mustard(Martin Mull), Mrs. White(Madeline Kahn), Miss Scarlet(Lesley Ann Warren), Prof. Plum(Christopher Lloyd), Mrs. Peacock(Elieen Brennan), and Mr. Green(Michael McKean). It seems as if they're invited to a simple dinner party, that is until Mr. Boddy(Lee Ving) arrives, and Wadsworth spills the beans that they're being blackmailed by Boddy. When the secret comes out, Wadsworth announces that the police are coming, and tells them that they can arrest Boddy, with the secret exposed. Until Boddy gives them weapons, and shuts off the lights. A gunshot is fired, and Mr. Boddy is dead. With other multiple murders afoot, and more secrets to be exposed, Wadsworth, Yvette, and the six guests must solve the mystery as to who did it, where, and with what before the cops come.

POSITIVES:

1. The cast. How could you go wrong with Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Madeline Kahn, and Tim Curry in a comedy altogether?! Every performance I've seen was great, sure I noticed when they go down a bit, but their performances overall was great.

2. It actually manages to excel in making a GOOD movie based on a board game. Comparing this to another board-game-movie, Battleship, Clue follows the plot of the game perfectly and takes a unique and different spin to the original, whereas in Battleship, it's spins are overused a lot, and tries to be mainstream Hollywood a lot.

3. The ending. Oh, wait, sorry...endings. Yes, in hopes of more box-office-gross, they created THREE endings and randomly shown one of them all over theaters. Unfortunately, this didn't give them a lot of money. When the home-media releases came out, instead of having one different ending on select DVDs, they decided to add all the endings, and make one of them the REAL ending. For those that want to know about the three endings, well...I'll tell you, but I'd advise you to watch the whole movie before advancing further. Ending #1 has Yvette killing Mr. Boddy and the Cook, because she was under orders of Miss Scarlet, who murdered her later, along with the Motorist, the Cop, and the Singing Telegram. Ending #2 has Mrs. Peacock commit every single murder. And Ending #3 has Plum kill Boddy, Peacock kill the Cook, Mustard kill the Motorist, White kill Yvette, Scarlet kill the Cop, and in a shocking twist, Wadsworth kills the Singing Telegram, and reveals himself to be Mr. Boddy. Mr. Green reveals himself as an FBI plant and kills Wadsworth/Mr. Boddy.

NEGATIVES:

Honestly, I can only find one negative with the movie, and that is the plotholes with the endings. The Peacock ending is impossible, because when the gang splits up, she searches the cellar with Plum. It's virtually impossible for her to shut off the electricity, commit all the murders, and hurry back to the cellar. The Everyone ending has so many plotholes, it'll make your head spin. First off, Peacock killing the Cook. How in the world can she hurry over to the kitchen to kill the Cook, then speed back to the Study? Next, Mustard killing the Motorist. How does he know about the secret passages and use them to kill the Motorist, yet when he's with Scarlet, why is he so clueless? Unless Yvette told him about it while they were playing pattycake, it makes no sense. And finally, White killing Yvette. Again, why do these characters have this sudden power to run over to a certain location to kill this certain person, then hurry their asses back to where they were originally?! But, those are just nitpicks. It is said that plotholes don't ruin a movie.

FINAL VERDICT:

Don't listen to the critics on this one. Clue is an excellent campy movie with memorable characters, a great setting, catchy soundtrack, and above all, a great movie based on the just-as-great board game. "Okay Chief, take 'em away. I'm gonna go home and sleep with my wife." ~Mr.