Benoit Blanc Returns in Fine Form with ‘Wake Up Dead Man’
The “Knives Out” sequel also stars Glenn Close, Josh Brolin and many more.
PHOTO BY JOHN WILSON / NETFLIX
The films of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” series are feats of story and editing, expertly conceived and crafted mysteries to rival any hardcover page-turner. Most importantly, though, they are unparalleled examples of assembling all the right elements on the screen — and the latest, “Wake Up Dead Man,” is an exemplar of setting and performance.
The world of the story is beautifully realized. In a quaint yet disillusioned small town, a stately old church houses the bully pulpit of a vengeful priest (Josh Brolin). His flock has withered almost to nothing, with newcomers and casual Catholics turned away by pointed sermons. His few remaining acolytes are a mix of true believers — a devoted nun is played with scene-stealing relish by Glenn Close — and conniving misfits such as a jaded small-town doctor (Jeremy Renner) and a put-upon family lawyer (Kerry Washington).
A pair of wild cards is dropped into this dysfunctional ecosystem. First, there’s a faithful yet troubled young priest (Josh O’Connor), eager to use the cloth for good. Then comes the irresistible traveling detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), a character with the cleverness to rival Poirot or Holmes but the humor to outpace both.
And, of course, there’s a murder — and an impossible one, at that. When a key character (no spoilers) drops dead in a seemingly locked room, the suspects scatter and the detective dives in (with some help from a beleaguered local cop played by Mila Kunis). There’s commentary on the role of religion in modern American society, to be sure — but mostly, it’s a twisty and tasty whodunit.
Johnson is a director who can do no wrong, having succeeded in franchise assignments (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), excelled with original ideas (“Brick,” “Looper”) and gamely adapted his style to television (“Poker Face”). In the “Knives Out” series, however, he clearly has an excellent time; while there’s heft to these tales, they’re also some of the most enjoyable cinematic treats in recent memory.
Is “Wake Up Dead Man” the best of the bunch? Perhaps; the original “Knives Out” is excellent, and “Glass Onion,” the second film in the series, has its merits. But I give a very slight nod to the third chapter as the best yet; Johnson has created a world that is sinister and foreboding, yet I still want to spend more time here.
My Rating: 9/10
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” is now streaming on Netflix.
