10 Mystery Movies You Need To Be A Genius To Understand Properly

The most satisfying murder mystery movies keep you guessing until the very end, when the detective finally explains everything. Whether it’s a classic locked-room mystery, a dark film noir, or a gritty detective story, a good movie provides clues that are clever but fair – meaning you can look back and see them after the reveal. That’s what makes the best ones so enjoyable to watch again and again.

The upcoming Knives Out film, set to release on Netflix in 2025, promises another engaging and cleverly crafted murder mystery. Viewers will be kept guessing until the very end, trying to figure out who committed the crime. This gives mystery fans a chance to play detective and solve the case before the reveal, though it’s often a challenging feat in movies.

Knives Out (2019)

I remember when the first Knives Out movie came out in theaters – it was a huge hit! It felt like a classic whodunnit in the style of Agatha Christie. A big part of what I loved was Daniel Craig’s performance as Benoit Blanc. He played this wonderfully quirky and incredibly smart detective, and he really made the whole mystery come alive. It was before Netflix made a deal with Rian Johnson, and it really stood out as a great theatrical experience.

The first film is a compelling story about a troubled family, the divisions created by wealth and social class, and a subtle sense of danger. It centers around the death of a well-known author who seemingly took his own life, but detective Benoit Blanc suspects foul play – and he turns out to be correct.

The movie featured a star-studded cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, and Toni Collette. Detective Blanc eventually solves the mystery, and the film is highly rewatchable, allowing viewers to appreciate how cleverly the clues led to the surprising conclusion.

Clue (1985)

The movie Clue is a challenging murder mystery because, unlike most films, it doesn’t have a single solution. Based on the popular board game, Clue actually features three different endings, each revealing a different killer – or, in one scenario, a different group of killers.

When the movie was first released, the ending varied depending on where you saw it. For example, viewers in Dallas might have seen a different conclusion than those in New York City. This created confusion among fans because the final scene of Clue wasn’t consistent across all showings.

The movie’s brilliance lies in its cleverly constructed endings – each one feels logical and is fully supported by the clues and events throughout the film. Whether the killer acted alone or as part of a group, the conclusion always fits the narrative, making it a film you can enjoy watching again and again.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Before Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite, he made a gripping crime thriller called Memories of Murder. The movie follows two detectives investigating a string of rapes and murders that actually happened in Hwaseong, South Korea, during the 1980s.

This murder mystery is notable as South Korea’s first confirmed case of a serial killer, and the movie draws inspiration from traditional detective stories. What’s particularly unsettling is that the detectives were never able to identify or catch the perpetrator, leaving the case unsolved.

The movie concludes with a scene set in the future, hinting that the killer might have revisited the crime scene, though it’s never confirmed. Interestingly, sixteen years after the film came out, authorities actually identified the real person responsible.

The Big Sleep (1946)

If you’re inspired to write a mystery novel after reading classics by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett are excellent authors to study. Chandler’s most famous work was adapted into the 1946 film The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart.

Humphrey Bogart plays Philip Marlowe, a private detective in Los Angeles. He’s hired by a worried father to investigate a problem involving his daughter, but quickly discovers a web of deceit and manipulation, where everyone has hidden motives. Marlowe finds himself right in the middle of it all, a classic setup for a film noir.

Ultimately, Marlowe understands that the family he’s been investigating actually needs support, which is a fitting conclusion to the story. The film was incredibly popular and has since been recognized for its significance with a place in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry.

Murder by Decree (1979)

In 1979, Bob Clark, known for films like A Christmas Story and Black Friday, directed the Sherlock Holmes mystery Murder by Decree. The movie featured a fantastic cast, including Christopher Plummer as Sherlock Holmes and James Mason as Dr. Watson, alongside Susan Clark, David Hemmings, and Donald Sutherland.

A crucial part of making a good Sherlock Holmes movie is crafting a mystery that’s genuinely challenging. Since Sherlock Holmes is known as the world’s greatest detective, the case shouldn’t be simple to figure out. This is especially important because the story revolves around the famous, unsolved Jack the Ripper crimes.

Most Sherlock Holmes films adapt stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, this movie takes a different approach, drawing inspiration from a book about Jack the Ripper that suggests the murders were connected to a secret Masonic conspiracy. This gave Holmes a chance to investigate a historical crime, but with a made-up story woven in, letting him use his detective skills to solve it.

Death on the Nile (1978)

Kenneth Branagh made a new film adaptation of Death on the Nile in 2022, but many still believe the 1978 version is the best. While Sherlock Holmes is often called the world’s greatest detective, the characters created by Agatha Christie are just as brilliant.

In the film Dead on the Nile, Hercule Poirot, portrayed by Peter Ustinov, investigates a murder that occurs while he’s traveling on a boat. Nearly everyone on board has a reason to be a suspect, and most have seemingly solid alibis. This adaptation is considered one of Agatha Christie’s finest mysteries, famous for its surprising and clever conclusion.

The film featured a fantastic cast – including Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Jon Finch, Maggie Smith, and Angela Lansbury – and everyone gave a brilliant performance. They all skillfully portrayed characters who seemed both guilty and innocent, making this a truly masterful mystery.

Memento (2000)

Christopher Nolan’s film, Memento, is a famously complex puzzle. It’s confusing until the very end because Nolan tells the story backwards, starting with what would normally be the last scene and ending with the first.

The story is brilliantly constructed, cleverly concealing the truth until a stunning climax that unexpectedly loops back to the very beginning. It centers on Leonard, a man who suffers from short-term memory loss, as he tries to solve the mystery of his wife’s murder.

By the end of the movie, you’ll discover the killer’s identity, understand how the film deliberately misled you, and realize the danger isn’t over, even after the big reveal. This murder mystery is one that truly rewards repeat viewings.

Gosford Park (2001)

Robert Altman’s Gosford Park is a cleverly crafted murder mystery and is widely considered one of the greatest historical whodunits ever filmed. Taking inspiration from the French film The Rules of the Game, the movie keeps you guessing as anyone among a large cast of characters could be the killer.

This story explores class divisions, much like the movie Knives Out, but on a larger scale. The suspects are clearly divided between the wealthy residents of the main house and the servants who live and work separately. The investigation unfolds from the perspectives of both groups.

The film featured a stellar cast including Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, and Kristin Scott Thomas, among others. The screenplay received an Academy Award, and the actors earned two nominations. The film itself was also nominated for both Best Picture and Best Director.

Brick (2005)

Before Rian Johnson became known for Knives Out, he really showcased his love for classic noir and detective stories with a fantastic film called Brick. It’s a murder mystery, but with a really unique twist – it’s set in a high school! The story kicks off when a girl is found dead, and her ex-boyfriend basically turns into a hardboiled detective, uncovering a surprisingly dangerous drug network right within the school walls. It’s a clever and stylish movie that definitely caught my attention when it came out.

This movie has a unique premise: it’s set in modern times, but the characters all speak like they’re from old-fashioned detective stories. It’s pulled off really well, largely because of a talented cast, especially Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Plus, it’s a genuinely captivating mystery with plenty of unexpected surprises.

Brick expertly delivers a classic murder mystery experience. The story unfolds gradually as the detective pieces together clues, eventually confronting those responsible. It’s a smart, entertaining film that foreshadows the success of Knives Out, which came out years later.

And Then There Were None (1945)

Considered one of the greatest murder mystery films of all time, And Then There Were None is based on Agatha Christie’s novel, Ten Little Indians. The story centers around ten guests lured to a remote island in England for a dinner party. Once there, they are confronted by their host, who accuses each of them of having committed murder, along with the two servants attending to their needs.

Everyone at the gathering is keeping secrets, and as guests start dying one by one, the survivors must uncover the killer amongst them. The shocking truth revealed at the end exposes everyone’s guilt, and ultimately, justice prevails.

Many mystery novels and murder mystery movies have been inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. It’s a groundbreaking and highly regarded film that set the standard for the genre.

2025-11-26 03:04