Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Starring: Daniel Craig, Janelle Monae, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson
Directed By: Rian Johnson
Rated: PG-13
World-renowned detective Benoit Blanc returns for another twisty mystery in Glass Onion, the sequel to the 2019 hit Knives Out. This time around, Benoit is headed to a Greek Island where tech millionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) is throwing a murder mystery birthday party with some of his closest friends. Why was Blanc invited to the island if this is a birthday party among friends? It seems that “friends” is a term that should be used loosely with this group and Miles has a target on his back. Will he make it through the weekend unscathed? Can Blanc find out who is out to get the tech billionaire?
I’ve been looking forward to the release of Glass Onion since it’s announcement. Knives Out is a movie that I can re-watch frequently and still enjoy. It’s a wonderful mixture of mystery, comedy, and biting social commentary. Glass Onion is a lot of fun but, in true sequel fashion, I don’t think its quite as strong as its predecessor. That’s not to say Glass Onion doesn’t have it’s strong points.
Director Rian Johnson knows what works with this franchise. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc is a true stand-out lead. This hilarious character is the backbone of the franchise. He could easily step into a new case for the forseeable future with that over-the-top accent and provide a Knives Out franchise. Benoit Blanc goes to the Swedish Alps. Benoit Blanc goes to the Bachelor Mansion. Benoit Blanc goes to Panama City Beach. (These are all locations for potential Knives Out sequels.) Feel free to come up with your own.
The social commentary in Glass Onion is razor sharp. Johnson has his finger on the pulse of pop culture and it feels as if he’s been paying attention to almost every scandal that’s taken place since 2020. The film begins in May 2020 and showcases how all of the characters react to COVID. (How they all wear their masks is very telling of their personalities throughout the film.) The jokes fire at rapid speed and don’t stop until the credits roll. One bit involving Kate Hudson and a memoji is a hilarious joke that you won’t be forgetting.
Each of the characters could be a stand-in for a political figure, influencer or celebrity in today’s news cycle. Most notably is Miles (Edward Norton), clearly an Elon Musk-type figure who believes he’s going to save the world with his alternative fuel (that hasn’t been properly tested.) Every attendee of his birthday party clings to him like a parasite, but has a secret reason not to trust him. Birdie (Kate Hudson) is the former model clinging to whatever shred of stardom she has left. Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) is the desperate wannabe Youtube star who begs Miles to promote his channel. Whiskey (Madelyn Cline) is Duke’s girlfriend turned cohost. Claire (Kathryn Hahn) is the governor trying to further her campaign. Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.) is a scientist working for Miles’ company. Then there’s Helen (Janelle Monáe). She hasn’t spoken to Miles for quite some time and no one knows why she’s at his birthday celebration.
Much like the family mansion was its own character in the first Knives Out, the Glass Onion, Miles island mansion is a character in this film. It’s a glass mansion on a private island intricately designed with artifacts from all over the world. The set design is both amazing and ridiculous to reflect the overt wealth of Miles. It plays its own role when the mystery begins.
The film has some good twists through its first two acts. It’s engaging and funny. It had me on board until it’s final act. Unfortunately, the final 20 minutes fall apart in both believability and character motivation. There’s a particular event that happens near the end that’s so wildly ridiculous it took me out of the movie. In terms of an exciting murder mystery, Glass Onion doesn’t hold the same excitement as Knives Out when the third act unravels. The villain is extremely predictable, making the whole “mystery” element fall a bit flat.
Overall, Glass Onion is a fun film with a great cast and plenty of biting satire, but it never quite reaches the heights of its predecessor, Knives Out.
My Rating: 7/10