Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- paranoid
- brooding
- grisly
- late night thriller viewing
- crime mystery marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a poorly received psychological crime thriller despite its commercially successful European run.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The killer directly challenges chess grandmaster Peter Sanderson to solve the murder sequence as though it were a match.
Peter becomes a chief suspect after his lover is murdered, while the continuing killings keep doubts about his innocence active.
Peter works with police and psychologist Kathy Sheppard to understand and catch the serial killer.
The lover is discovered painted and drained of blood, while the plot also features Polaroid photographs and grisly murders.
Films like Knight Moves, and why
Se7en
psychological serial killer investigation, suspect ambiguity, and grim procedural tension
The Silence of the Lambs
chess-centered criminal strategy, cerebral suspense, and morally unsettled investigation
Manhunter
serial murder mystery, psychological manipulation, and paranoid thriller atmosphere
Zodiac
killer correspondence, police investigation, and escalating psychological suspense
Movie Details
- Director
- Carl Schenkel
- Release Date
- 1992-01-14
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Christopher Lambert
- Diane Lane
- Tom Skerritt
- Daniel Baldwin
- Ferdy Mayne
- Don Thompson
- Megan Leitch
- Katharine Isabelle
- Arthur Brauss
- Kehli O'Byrne
Common questions
- What is Knight Moves about?
- A chess grandmaster suspected of murdering his lover is drawn into a deadly intellectual duel with a serial killer who dares him to solve the game.
- What is Knight Moves like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Knight Moves as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Knight Moves violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Knight Moves as graphic.
- What did critics think of Knight Moves?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a poorly received psychological crime thriller despite its commercially successful European run.
- Which films are like Knight Moves?
- Films with a similar feel include Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs, Manhunter, and Zodiac.
- How long is Knight Moves?
- Knight Moves runs 116 minutes.
