The Woman in Cabin 10

If you're scrolling Netflix for a quick and easy Friday night watch, this may fit the bill.

Keira Knightly plays a journalist, and at the outset I thought this might play out as a political thriller. But it's more along the lines of an Agatha Christie mystery, or more precisely Flightplan (2005) but on a yacht. There is a twist I did not see coming, at least in part due to its implausibility.

There are some great actors in supporting roles, but sadly they are given little to do as mostly one-dimensional characters. Gugu Mbatha-Raw in particular is criminally underutilized.

Nonetheless, a bowl of popcorn, 90 minutes, easy-peasy. I give it an extra star just for Knightley.

"The Woman in Cabin 10" sails steadily through familiar thriller waters - neither sinking nor soaring. It's a film that sits comfortably in the middle: not particularly gripping, but not outright bad either. The performances are solid, with the cast doing a commendable job at keeping the tension alive, even when the story doesn't fully support them.

The main issue lies in the script, which feels a bit undercooked. The setup is promising, but the plot lacks the punch and complexity needed to elevate it beyond "just fine." The dialogue sometimes feels mechanical, and a few key moments that should hit hard simply drift by without much weight.

Still, "The Woman in Cabin 10" remains a passable watch - the kind of movie that's decent for a quiet evening but won't stick with you once the credits roll. Average through and through, with glimpses of what could have been a sharper, more memorable thriller.

Few years ago I was moaning that we were over populated by superhero movies with no end in sight. Well I spoke to soon, and now I'm plagued by a never ending cycle of ensemble murder mysteries.

I'll start by saying this is not by any means a terrible movie and almost definitely doesn't deserve 1 or 2 star ratings but it sure as hell is not a great movie. In fact in about six months time from now I would of likely forgotten all about watching this movie, and this review will almost be like a diary entry reminding me i did in fact watch this.

In truth, this movie is just not as smart as it believes it should be (Knives Out it is not). There was definitely glimpses of what could of been, but it's quickly ruined by some lackluster bored performances and some implausible twists and turns that completely shut me off.

There are some positives, I actually enjoyed the overall look of the movie, similar to other Netflix products the money is completely well spent on its production values, and I very much imagine director Simon Stone will find little obstacles in the way of getting future projects. It was a welcome return for Kiera Knightley in a major picture whose projects have been very sporadic since the pirates franchise, who gives a fairly decent performance.

The problem is, it's a ensemble cast, with some decent names, primarily British actors but well known Australian actor Guy Pearce as well. And outside of a lukewarm decent performance from Kiera, noone really stands out, at all. Not their performances and especially not their written characters.

Truth be told, outside of looking well shot and a possibly half decent idea for a premise, it's awfully bland. The dialogue is thin, the whole cover up and everyone is a villain plot is just ludicrous. Thankfully it's not a long movie with a relatively short runtime of 1 hour 32 minutes so doesn't feel like I've completely wasted my time. But wether it's trying to be a murder mystery of a thriller it really lacks the depth of either and ultimately just becomes a one time watch in the background.

It's relatively gripping for the first 20-30 mins. However, one soon starts to get irritated by the main character's actions. For a seasoned serious journalist, she sure looses her cool easily. It's a wee bit easy to see the plot development (when it comes, you are sort of disgusted how easy it was to guess). But what happens in the last 1/3rd is just pure silliness. Like someone was running out of time to finish the loose ends, and give a way out.

I read the synopsis of the novel, and it sounds like the original story actually would have made sense. What they tried to augment in the adaption ruined the whole thing.

"The Woman in Cabin 10" sets itself up with all the right ingredients - big names splashed across the credits, a yacht so sleek it makes you wonder who you have to know just to step on deck, and the kind of British accents that dress up even the most ordinary line of dialogue. At the center, there's Keira Knightley, who has that rare thing you can't fake - she walks into a frame and you believe her, you root for her, even before she's said a word. Through her, we're pulled into this world of polished surfaces and bottomless champagne flutes, a fantasy of luxury until the whole thing tilts into something darker. A scream in the night. A shadow where it doesn't belong. Suddenly we're not watching a travelogue anymore; we're caught in a whodunnit, with everyone on board a suspect and nobody telling the truth. The trouble is, the story isn't as fresh as it thinks it is. You've seen this ride before - mystery built on familiar scaffolding, twists you can spot if you've been paying attention, and the occasional scene that exists only because the plot won't move without it. And yet - Knightley keeps you there. She carries the film on sheer presence, makes you forget the clichés long enough to see it through, and when the ending finally lands, it does just enough to leave you satisfied. Without her, this would've been another forgettable thriller lost at sea. With her, it earns its 7 out of 10, not great, not groundbreaking, but worth the watch.