Excellent film who-dunnit. The setting of a chess tournament as a backdrop for the various murders is unusual. Constantly kept guessing as to whether the "hero" is in fact the murderer, until the very end where the killer is revealed.Christopher Lambert as the chess master plays out his anguish well as the evidence pointing to him builds to the point where the police believe he did it. The slips of the tongue from Lambert also give the impression he 'could' be the killer... But is he? Diane Lane is good as usual, not a lot is asked of Tom Skerrit so he doesn't give a lot as the police chief. Baldwin is good as the prejudiced cop who takes a serious dislike to Lambert's character.Worth watching the first time for your own pleasure. Watch it a second time with someone who hasn't seen it before to see their reactions to the mystery!

Peter Sanderson is a chess master in town for a major tournament. After visiting her and having sex with her, Sanderson's casual lover is murdered and left in a strange pose. The police suspect him as the person who was with her moments before her death but things are confused when Sanderson is contacted by the killer wishing to play a game with him. The murders continue as Sanderson and the police try to outsmart the killer – however clues still indicate that Sanderson could still be a suspect himself.There are very few thrillers that would chose to set themselves in the world of grandmaster chess as the basis for their plot, and even fewer that would manage to pull it off convincingly; this film falls into the former but not the latter. The plot only really uses chess as the background so that it can make a rather tenuous link between that game and the game that is played between Sanderson and the killer. This basic plot is interesting enough even if it doesn't really stand out from the basic video-thriller genre that the chess connection suggests it is better than. The chess connection doesn't really work as it doesn't actually fit in with the murders very well – feeling forced quite a lot; certainly the whole chess championship is just a side issue and the film never manages to actually convince that this is a battle of wits, in fact the police do most of the leg work and Peter only occasionally blurts out the odd 'Eureka in the bathtub' line.The solution is semi-clever in that I realized that the film had tricked me from the first scene onwards, but, despite this fact, the identity of the killer is as out-of-the-blue and you would expect it to be. The film is littered with minor characters who jump out of shadows, appear at suspicious times or say menacing things under their breath, all red herrings of course but most of them are not explained and it is obvious the writer never thought about whether or not they made sense in any context other than them being red herrings. Having said that, the film is enjoyable but mainly as a genre film rather than anything clever or particularly inventive. The lack of a really clever cat'n'mouse game was a letdown for me because of the potential that the chess connection had suggested.The cast are a fairly average mix that contribute to the feeling that this is a genre film rather than anything particularly clever. Lambert has had a very mixed career and this is just another strange role that he doesn't play that well – certainly the words 'Lambert' and 'chess master' are words that words that don't seem to naturally appear together. Sticking with the clichés of both the genre and Lambert films, we get the obligatory love scene (twice!) that have little relevance but gives the film the added selling point of breasts! Skerrit and Baldwin are better than the rest of the cast even with poor characters – the two of them control each scene they are in and make the film feel better than it is.Overall, the title and background suggest a clever game of wits between a chess master and the killer but it doesn't manage to be anything more than an OK genre film. The twist is out of the blue as always but getting there is quite fun and the end result is a film that is enjoyable but quite unspectacular.

During a big chess tournament a chain of brutal murders occurs. The victims are thoroughly young attractive females who are not related anyway . The murder is always executed in a ritual way and the killer leaves a message on the wall of the room (written of course with blood) . The police are puzzled since this clever psychopath is obviously not a freak worshiper of satanism or any other cult . Instead he seems to be a sadistic calculating killer who not only has an unspecified goal but is so hideous that he likes to show himself off and drag the police officers to a cat and mouse game , challenging them to find him . The chief suspect for the gory killings is Peter Sanderson (Christopher Lambert) a player in the tournament. Despite his young age , Sanderson is one of the most skillful and acclaimed professional chess players . Right after the first bloodbath , Sanderson starts receiving harassing phone calls from the killer who not only threatens his life but teases Sanderson to find his identity . Two detectives (played by Tom Skerritt and Daniel Baldwin) and 1 criminal psychologist (Diane Lane) co-operate with Sanderson in order to link the dots and trace the killer . It is quite possible that the insane butcher is an envious antagonist of Sanderson in chess from the past . But who can it be ? Sanderson has played numerous chess games and has faced many famous players . Surely a great amount has obviously injured egos because Sanderson won them but which one of them snapped ? . Unfortunately the threatening phone calls do not narrow the suspicions about his innocence . The police seem to believe that the deaths come as the result of the actions of Sanderson and a partner . What is the truth ? This is one of the most atmospheric detective thrillers of the 90 ‘s . Despite a no-name director and a no-name writer `Knight Moves' proves that professional filmmaking can be achieved with the talented work of the proper technicians (direction of photography , scenery setting etc) and a well written intelligent script . The plot seems to be a combination of Seven (1995) and The Game (1997) . Seven is reminiscent not only script-wise but the dark , rainy and dreary atmosphere is inherent in the directorial look . Well how do you know ! Knight Moves is actually a predecessor to these movies ! ( I believe David Fincher owes a great thank you to this film ) Just because it doesn‘t have major star power doesn‘t mean it should be left unnoticed . Few people know the existence of this wonderful thriller and in my opinion it is not fair for this little gem to be forgotten or overlooked . It is probably Christopher Lambert ‘s best movie and a setup for many other crime mysteries which followed in the decade . So if you like whodunits I can assure you that this is one of the best samples. The cinematography is dark and moody and it helps giving an ominous air to the screen . The sets are perfect for the claustrophobic threatening tone even in scenes with large halls like where the tournament is being conducted . The music and sound effects are also successful and contribute quite nicely to the creepiness of the movie (like the thunders during the storm). Aside from the great direction the basis of the film is a great screenplay with enough plot twists to keep the viewer hooked to the premise . All these surprises build up the tension , leading to a heart pumping final 20 minutes period and deliver a superb climax which you will remember for a long long time . There is a negative point though : Knight Moves belongs to a strange category of films which should be viewed only once and then left with fond memories . This means that your second viewing may come as a great disappointment since you already know what will come . Another minor flaw is that the killer ‘s motive is clear from the very first scene . It is however difficult finding the adult now psychopath and the shrewdness of the director is that he manipulates us to forget the initial scene and concentrate on the twists and the red herrings that the screenwriter has staged for us . It is a truly fascinating modernization of the Hitchcockian tradition as we enter a tunnel only to be `allowed' later to find the light that was always there. The acting is for the most part passable . Lambert plays solidly and gives a legitimate hero as an everyday guy who gets caught in a paranoid game . He is not the gorgeous poster model or the beefed up tough man . Tom Skerritt plays one of the most wooden and mundane police officers I have ever seen in a film . He is always neutral and cool tempered without catchy gags or profanity . This may render his presence almost invisible , but I believe the realistic approach is achieved here , since most officers are quite indifferent and inert in reality . All they are willing to do is arrive at the scene AFTER the crime and take fingerprints . On the contrary Daniel Baldwin (the most obscure of the clan) is the younger and more aggressive detective and his performance is a pleasant surprise . He believes that Sanderson is actually himself the accomplice who wants to fool them out . He exhales so much anger against Lambert ‘ s character that at many points the two of them nearly duke it out with their fists . It is quite original for a movie of this kind since the detectives usually form a harmonic alliance with the lead (a la Copycat) . Baldwin ‘s and Lambert ‘s stormy chemistry chips in the building of more tension and nerve . Diane Lane is the psychologist who halfway forms a predictable affair with Sanderson . She and Lambert were married at the time and it is funny to see their chemistry transferred on the celluloid . Further than the obligatory love interest Lane performs another difficult task . She manages to survive an underwritten role and she gives the best performance of the entire cast . For once again she proves herself a dynamic personality who captures the audience ‘s attention. At short periods she temporarily becomes the lead herself ! Another exhibit for her pivotal screen presence is `Judge Dredd' . Very few times indeed has Hollywood given us active female roles who are not decorative co – stars . The actor who plays the killer appears shortly (a la Kevin Spacey in Seven or William McNamara in Copycat) but is also quite good. The phone calls he makes with a special voice changer , make him sound like a distorted pervert and will certainly send chills down your spinal column . This is the most scary aspect of the film which pulls up the agony even more . The paranoid is a very sinister person and his chilling voice enhances the demonic threat which suspends above the heads of the leads and every other person who attends the tournament . It is worth purchasing this exceptional mystery game . It is not simply a popcorn light movie just for the amusement of it . On the contrary `Knight Moves' is a professionally constructed mind trap which has terrifically escalating suspense and an explosive finale . Rent it , see it preferably after midnight and don ‘t forget to dim the lights . The final part of the movie will certainly leave you breathless . A small independent masterpiece `Knight Moves' deserves far more recognition than it has got . If you like crime puzzles this is one of the best you can find.KNIGHT MOVES 8.5 / 10

The film had some suspenseful moments (the finale most of all), but I found the script, acting and direction rather mediocre. Even normally good actors like Tom Skerritt and Diane Lane give awkward performances, and Christopher Lambert's overwrought line delivery is often hilarious.**POSSIBLE SPOILER** The movie even pulls out the ultimate cliche: thunder and lightning during the critical climax and a killer with a "mommy" complex. Give me a break!. A for trying, C for the results.