Works created in the genre of a detective story, whether it be a book or a film, are always in high demand. Cinema can offer the viewer interesting detective films for every taste - created according to the classic works of masters of the genre, such as Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle, or paintings by contemporary directors with a famously twisted plot. Let's talk today about the most outstanding films of this genre, which all lovers of good detectives need to see . If you ever turned to friends or acquaintances with a request: “Tell me an interesting detective story,” the list of paintings in the review is sure to come in handy and will delight you not only with a fascinating plot, but also with the selection of wonderful actors.
“Before I Fall Asleep” (2014)
The plot of this picture is based on the famous novel by S.J. Watson. The film tells the story of Christine Lucas, who lost her memory as a result of a severe head injury. She remembers herself at the age of 20, and forgot the following years. Every morning, waking up, she no longer remembers what happened yesterday. Therefore, Christine doubts everything and tries to figure out what happened to her on the eve of the tragedy. Starring in the film starred Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth.
Cape of Fear (1991)
The most interesting detective stories now can not be imagined without this film, which has become a classic of the genre, especially since its director is Martin Scorsese. Max Cady, who received a long term for a serious crime, wants to take revenge on his lawyer, who, out of pity for the victim, hid the information. The criminal believes that it was because of this that the sentence was so severe. After being released, he begins to pursue the family of a lawyer, harassing his wife and daughter with threats. Colleagues of the lawyer can not help with anything, because the criminal psychopath only threatens, and this is not evidence against him. Then the lawyer decides to provoke the persecutor to attack, in order to get a reason to contact the police.
“From Hell” (2001)
Interesting detective films can combine elements of other genres - horror or thriller. An example is the action-packed picture with the unexpected denouement “From Hell”, in which Johnny Depp played the main role. It is based on myths and real testimonies of Jack the Ripper. The plot is based on the novel by Alan Moore, but the film greatly departs from the original version.
Johnny Depp plays the role of Fred Ebberline, an investigator investigating the brutal killings of women in London. With each new crime, he realizes that he is not dealing with an ordinary criminal, but with a person from the highest government circles.
Disappeared (2014)
The most interesting detective stories are often a bestselling film adaptation. The young writer Gillian Flynn wrote only a few books, but all of them were on the list of the best novels of recent years. "Disappeared" - a detective story with an unpredictable plot and an open ending. This complex and dramatic story begins with the disappearance of the protagonist’s wife on the eve of the wedding anniversary. Gradually inconsolable husband from the victim in the eyes of the public and the police turns into the main suspect. He has to start an investigation himself in order to avoid the death penalty and figure out what really happened with his wife.
The picture pleases not only with a twisted plot, but also with an interesting duet of Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Since the film is directed by David Fincher, it also has a powerful social subtext - reflections on the problems of the modern institution of marriage.
The Detective (1997)
This interesting detective story can be called a picture for intellectuals. It has only two heroes and long conversations, but the film looks in one breath. A successful writer of detective novels and his wife's lover begin a complex and confusing game, the winner of which is unknown. Andrew Wyck, a deceived husband, offers his rival a plan to rob his own house in exchange for letting go of his wife.
The Power of Fear (1999)
This is not only a very interesting detective story, but also an exciting thriller that keeps the viewer in suspense until the end. One of the main roles in the film was played by Angelina Jolie. It is based on the famous novel The Bone Collector by Jeffrey Diver.
According to the plot of the picture, the former colleague is asking for help from the forensic investigator Lincoln Reime, who, due to a disaster at the crime scene, got a spinal fracture and was paralyzed. They are trying to get on the trail of a maniac who, with sophisticated cruelty, kills his victims and leaves messages to the police in the form of drawings. A paralyzed investigator who dreams of suicide gets the opportunity to return to his beloved job. His assistant is Amelia Donahi, the juvenile inspector who found the killer's first victim. Noticing her quick wits and determination, Rime begins to teach the young woman the intricacies of forensics. This interesting foreign detective will be appreciated by lovers of paintings with a psychological bias and unexpected denouement.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
This interesting detective not only captures the viewer with his unpredictable storyline, but also gives a lot of new information on the story. The film is an adaptation of Dan Brown's acclaimed and controversial novel, The Da Vinci Code. The picture has a difficult fate. Due to the negative attitude of the church to the scandalous book, the crew had to face great difficulties. Church authorities did not give permission to shoot on the territory of several historical and religious sites. Critics also reacted very coolly to the film.
According to the plot of the picture, professor of religious symbolology Robert Langdon was invited to Paris over the murder of the curator of the Louvre. His name was listed in the victim’s latest records, and police suspect the scientist of this crime. The victim’s granddaughter, Sophie Neveu, helps the professor escape to work together to find out who killed her grandfather. Before his death, the curator manages to leave an encrypted message, with the clue of which the dangerous adventures of the characters of the picture begin.
Source Code (2011)
The film is positioned more like a fantastic thriller, but in fact it is a detective story in which the protagonist, captain Colter Stevens, is given the opportunity to find the criminal and prevent a terrible catastrophe.
Using the Source Code program, he finds himself in the body of a person traveling on a train in the last eight minutes of his life. Stevens needs during this time to figure out the criminal who will soon blow up the composition. At the same time, the captain is trying to find out what became of him, since the last thing he remembers is his participation in the military operation in Afghanistan.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
An interesting detective can be not only a thriller, but also a horror. Tim Burton filmed in 1999 the legend of a headless horseman. The plot is based on the story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Irving.
The young police inspector, Ikabod Crane, is trying to use new methods in investigations. This innovation is not to the boss's liking, and it is sent to a small town, where some residents chopped off their heads. Upon arrival, Crane is informed that the criminal is known to everyone - this is a cavalryman, a participant in the war for independence, who was beheaded and buried in the forest. Locals believe that all death is the work of his hands. But the pragmatic inspector does not believe in this version and begins an investigation.
Domestic detectives
If we take the Soviet period, here the masterpiece of the films of the detective genre is the television movie "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson." But among contemporary paintings there is not one interesting Russian detective story.
The Turkish Gambit (2005)
This is one of the best adaptations of detective novels by Boris Akunin. Erast Fandorin, the protagonist of many books of the writer, is investigating during the Russo-Turkish War the activities of an elusive enemy who harms Russian troops at the front. Only his name is known - Anwar Effendi. A saboteur masterfully manages to replace one word in an encrypted offensive order, and the Russian army occupies the wrong city. Fandorin is trying to figure Anvar Effendi among the officers of the headquarters, but to no avail - he is always one step ahead.
“In August of the 44th” (2001)
An interesting detective story about the work of Soviet counterintelligence during the Great Patriotic War. Filmed according to the novel of the same name by Bogomolov. The plot is based on real events that are recorded in official documents.
Less than a year remains before the end of the war. Belarus has already been liberated, on the territory of which an enemy German intelligence group operates. Stalin orders by any means to find and neutralize the agents. For this, it was decided to conduct a full-scale military operation with combing the terrain. Counterintelligence against - this will lead to the death of agents, and they need the living to get information. A detachment of captain Alekhine is sent to the place of the alleged location of the enemy group. Within a day, he needs to detect and neutralize German agents.
Interesting detective stories, reviews of which are almost always positive, have a number of advantages and features that make them so popular. First of all, this is an interesting plot with a mysterious crime. Since the detective often uses a mixture of several genres, the denouement of the story is usually completely unpredictable. Another feature of such films is that it is impossible to watch them from a distance. The audience always involuntarily joins, together with the main character of the film, in an exciting game to find the criminal.