‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ Movie Review: Keira Knightley’s Cruise Thriller Drifts Into Predictability (LatestLY Exclusive)

The Woman in Cabin 10 Movie Review: Netflix’s new mystery thriller The Woman in Cabin 10, directed by Simon Stone, is based on Ruth Ware’s 2016 bestselling novel of the same name. But there’s a twist - one that might make a few Malayalam film buffs raise an eyebrow. Let’s just say the film’s central revelation feels like someone revisited a certain 1995 Malayalam mystery about a theatre troupe and a woman with a secret - a story later 'inspired' a Bollywood remake by a different Malayali director known for 'remakes'. ‘It Was Traumatic’: Keira Knightley Reveals She Had To Take Therapy After Starring in Johnny Depp’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Franchise.

The plot follows Laura Blacklock (Keira Knightley), a journalist with a strong sense of moral integrity, who is invited to cover a luxury yacht event hosted by billionaire couple Richard Bullmer (Guy Pearce) and Anne Bullmer (Lisa Loven Kongsli). Anne, suffering from terminal cancer, is spending her final days in altruism.

Among the guests are the usual suspects - snooty millionaire couple Heidi (Hannah Waddingham) and Thomas Heatherley (David Morrissey), musician Danny Tyler (Paul Kaye), influencer Grace (Kaya Scodelario), and Anne’s doctor, Robert Mehta (Art Malik). Also aboard is press photographer Ben Morgan (David Ajala), who inconveniently happens to be Laura’s ex.

One night, Laura wakes up to a strange noise from the cabin next door - Cabin 10 - and witnesses what looks like someone falling overboard. But when she alerts the crew, they insist the cabin is empty. Even more unsettlingly, the woman Laura swears she met in that cabin earlier has seemingly vanished. So, did Laura imagine it all, or did someone really go overboard?

Watch the Trailer of 'The Woman in Cabin 10':

The setup feels right out of an Agatha Christie playbook - confined setting, rich guests with possible ulterior motives, and a mystery built on class and deceit. Rian Johnson (Knives Out) has subverted this formula with wit and meta-humour, while Kenneth Branagh keeps trying to faithfully recreate it in his Poirot adaptations. The Woman in Cabin 10 sails somewhere between the two - familiar enough to be comfortable, but never fresh enough to surprise.

The early intrigue works, and the film builds up a decent sense of psychological unease. Having an actress like Keira Knightley helps - her presence alone adds emotional texture to even the flattest scenes. For a moment, you believe the film might dive deeper into Laura’s fragile mental state and moral compass. Sadly, it never really does. The writing and even the casting give us little reason to doubt her sanity, even as the film tries to plant a "trauma in the past" subplot to justify her instability.

Instead, the only question that remains is who among the yacht’s well-dressed guests is in on the cover-up. The red herrings are plentiful, but none particularly convincing. And when the film finally does reveal its mystery and the larger conspiracy to Laura, quite conveniently at that, the little intrigue and momentum the movie had till then is thrown overboard and left to drown in the chilly waters. And if you’re a Malayalam movie fan, you’ll likely chuckle at how closely the big reveal mirrors that 1995 plotline (which itself was loosely inspired by an Alfred Hitchcock classic, I must admit).

Visually, The Woman in Cabin 10 is striking when not grey and gloomy. The yacht’s confined setting heightens the claustrophobia as Laura’s investigation turns into a fight for survival. The camera captures the crisp beauty of Norway’s waters with a travel-porn precision that might make you long for a cruise - just one with no corpse on board. Spaceman Movie Review: Adam Sandler Impresses in This Netflix Space Drama That Doesn't Quite Live Up To Its Meditative Potential.

As for performances, Knightley does what she can with a role that won’t do much justice to her filmography. Guy Pearce delivers his usual brand of smooth dissonance, while Waddingham, Morrissey, Malik, and Scodelario fill out the ensemble with varying shades of snobbery. Gugu Mbatha-Raw pops up briefly but is given little to do. The biggest problem, however, is that the film’s 'villain' is obvious from the get-go - the sort of casting that makes you suspect them the moment they smirk.

'The Woman in Cabin 10' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

The Woman in Cabin 10 begins like a promising high-seas psychological thriller but quickly drifts into formulaic waters. Apart from Keira Knightley's casting as the main lead and the initial suspenseful setup, this cruise has little to entice you to be on board before you jump on a motorboat and take a hike from there. The Woman in Cabin 10 is streaming on Netflix.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2025 05:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).