At one point in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Daniel Craig’s detective extraordinaire Benoit Blanc says, “It’s a dangerous thing to mistake speaking without thought for speaking the truth.” And my word does that feel like a timely statement now, then and likely for a long time to come. Writer/director Rian Johnson’s star-studded follow-up to his terrific Knives Out ironically enough really does get the knives out for our current climate, and the fools that keep popping up in the daily headlines nowadays.
This film sees Blanc unexpectedly grouped in with a varied bunch of celebrities, social media stars, scientists and businessmen, as he is invited along with them to the Greek island private paradise of hailed creative billionaire genius Miles Bron (Edward Norton), for a murder mystery evening. However, as Bron has gathered some of his closest friends/associates, Blanc’s mysterious invite may well be a blessing in disguise, as this alcohol-fuelled themed party becomes very real indeed.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is just as fun as the marvellous first film, and cements Johnson’s Benoit Blanc whodunnit series as one that is most welcome to expand for as long as Daniel Craig wants to deliver the drawl.
Brilliant, twisty and surprising, this sequel is the yang to the first film’s ying, bringing the genre to the modern age (where the last leaned into its traditions) and instead of showing how a nefarious deadly game was beaten by being a good, hard working, person, this takedown of the ultra rich and their unfair and preposterous systems shows how idiots bring themselves down eventually, even if their mind numbing stupidity can complicate the narrative.
You may well have a few real world figures in mind while viewing this, and despite being delayed by COVID, Johnson’s film is still ferociously timely in its observations. Perhaps even more so after this year. Particularly its depiction of wealthy and social media amplified foolishness. As Blanc himself says in one of his many delightful exchanges, “it’s so dumb”, “it’s so dumb, it’s brilliant!” a character retorts, “No! It’s just dumb” Blanc responds. Bang on.
Glass Onion takes audiences on the same journey as Blanc himself, misdirecting us beautifully and making you intentionally overthink the story, toying with your expectations for a clever mystery, when at heart, the nature of this particular mystery is something far more ridiculous. Its many turns peel back more compelling layers of an ingenious story, which really is part vindication tale and part whodunnit, but it’s all such an enjoyable experience.
Full of Johnson’s excellent direction and sharp writing, Glass Onion is marvellously funny and relevant but as intricate and stylish as those Miles Born sent invite boxes at the start of the film. And once more, his delicious ensemble cast are all up to the task at hand.
Craig and Janelle Monáe are particularly excellent, and rather dominate the head of the story, with Craig’s eccentric, witty and flamboyant detective being a constant source of excellence, and Monáe’s character being regularly surprising and her performance so very layered and impressive. Meanwhile the likes of Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr. are having a ball in their parts, and it is brilliant to see. Much like the fun little cameos from some truly major names that are dotted throughout the film too.
Like the extravagant structure from which the unusual title attains its name, Johnson has constructed a well crafted and visually impressive film event for us all to take part in, but this structure has a most crazy core, which shows us just how powerful and convoluted silly people can be, but also how you can disrupt such a system built on folly.
Devilishly clever and worryingly truthful, Glass Onion is one of 2022’s most delightful and stylish movie cocktails. Come back soon Benoit!
