Phil Roberts 
Rian Johnson has hit another home run with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. With its sharp screenplay, winning performances, and Johnson’s brilliant vision, it’s fun, sharp, witty, and bags of sleuthing fun!
It’s time to climb back into Rian Johnson’s imagination for another round of murder mysteries in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The third film in the Knives Out saga is finally hitting cinema screens this week, before it lands on Netflix in December, and the suspects have assembled. The director has once again assembled an all-star cast to bring Benoit Blanc’s latest mystery to the screen. Led by the unswervable Daniel Craig and Hollywood’s latest flavor of the month, Josh O’Connor, the film has all the hallmarks of another instant classic.
But can Johnson capitalise on the foundations cemented in the past two movies? Or does the resurgence of the murder mystery genre stall with Blanc’s latest murder mystery?
REVIEW
Fear not, dear readers, because Rian Johnson has hit another home run with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. This whodunnit is a legitimate banger. Daniel Craig effortlessly slips back into gear, with Josh O’Connor stealing the spotlight from the brilliant but underused ensemble. With its sharp screenplay, winning performances, and Johnson’s brilliant vision, it’s fun, sharp, witty, and bags of sleuthing fun! Sadly, I cannot elaborate too much without spoiling the plot, so I shall tread carefully to keep the film unspoiled. But needless to say, the film is a triumph.
THE FILM
After the brilliance of the original Knives Out, I was let down by the tone of Glass Onion. The franchise originator worked wonders with its retro-Hercule-Poirot noir formula, and the 70s vibrancy of its sequel was a step in the wrong direction for me. Thankfully, for the threequel, Johnson has slipped back into the retro gothic vibe and put Wake Up Dead Man back on the path to brilliance. The film is a natural successor to the original, and all the bells and whistles are back where they belong.
Bizarrely, Benoit Blanc takes a back seat in this mystery; in fact, Daniel Craig doesn’t show his face until the 40-minute mark. Instead, Johnson centers the film on Josh O’Connor’s Reverand Jud Duplenticy, a former boxer turned preacher with a heart of gold and a moral compass most would yearn for. However, when his golden-gloved antics resurface hilariously, he is transferred to a new parish under the custodianship of the unorthodox Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, played by the utterly brilliant Josh Brolin.
THE SUSPECTS
For the most part, Brolin threatens to steal the show from O’Connor, and Johnson’s sharp screenplay rewards him with some of the most memorable and hilarious lines in the trilogy. Brolin feels at home in this genre, and you can feel his energy oozing through the screen. In Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, Brolin has found a rare gem, a preacher with a bad attitude and a penchant for demonising everything in his orbit. However, Jud Duplenticy’s arrival, or more accurately, the emergence of his moral compass, throws a spanner in the works, and the atmosphere grows more tense as the running time rolls on.
With the duo preaching mixed messages to the congregation, it finds itself at loggerheads. Loyalty is tested, and established relationships are strained, leading to some juicy confrontations. However, things take a dark turn when a murder occurs, leading to the arrival of Benoit Blanc, who seems more laid-back in this outing. In Blanc’s defence, Daniel Craig slips straight back into gear and brings the brilliant detective to life with his traditional brilliance. But this film is more of a vehicle for Josh O’Connor to shine, with Blanc taking a back seat, and surprisingly, it works. Although some might feel shortchanged by his reduced role here, his impact is still as effective as ever.
THE GAME’S AFOOT
With Blanc on the scene and everyone classed as a suspect, the film slips into a similar form to the original Knives Out, complete with its tense atmosphere, well-placed, tension-cutting comedy, and brilliant performances from its cast. The primary focus lies in the clash of ideologies between Blanc and Duplenticy. With the preacher’s passionate religious beliefs anchoring him to the mystery, he finds his faith tested by Blanc’s atheist outlook, and the exchanges between them alone are worth the price of admission. Craig and O’Connor’s rapport shines through in these moments, and the energy between them makes for excellent viewing, especially when the suspects enter the fray. And they are just as delightful as the previous film’s suspects.
The list of suspects includes: an alcoholic doctor played by Jeremy Renner, a washed-up writer portrayed by Andrew Scott, a lawyer represented by Kerry Washington, her sleazy politician brother, Daryl McCormack, an injured cellist played by Cailee Spaeny, the parish secretary acted by Glenn Close, her lover portrayed by Thomas Haden Church, the monsignor himself, and, of course, Rev. Jud Duplenticy.
THE ONLY FLAW?
Sadly, it is here that the film’s only flaw rears its ugly head—the cast… or, more accurately, the size of the cast. Unfortunately, with a cast this large, it is impossible to give everyone a role of substance, and many members of the ensemble struggle to rise above the limited material. Kerry Washington and Daryl McCormack have little to do, and Mila Kunis’ local cop, Geraldine Scott, offers little more than a token sidekick to Blanc’s sleuthing. Thomas Haden Church delivers a memorable run as the suspicious gardener, and Jeremy Renner emerges with a slightly meatier role than his co-stars. But it is far from the role we expect.
Thankfully, not everyone is forced to linger on the fringes of the story. Glenn Close literally dazzles as Martha Delacroix and serves as the backbone of the narrative, and Josh Brolin delivers a phenomenal performance as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. In Wake Up Dead Man, Brolin truly comes to the fore, providing a performance that will help define his career. Forget Thanos, forget Cable, and forget Brand Walsh in The Goonies; this is the role that fans will remember. From his witty one-liners to his outrageous anecdotes, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks is the role that the audiences will adore.
A TRIUMPH
In addition to the performances of its core cast, the film boasts another tremendous score from Rian Johnson’s cousin, Nathan Johnson. Like his previous scores on the earlier films, Wake Up Dead Man oozes the glorious tones of Nathan’s masterwork. The mood and atmosphere feel right out of a Gothic classic, with some well-placed humor cutting through the palpable noir soundscape. Much of this brilliance comes from the masterfully utilized Jeffrey Wright, who plays the brilliant Bishop Langstrom. His role is fleeting, but his impact makes the film, trust me.
That pretty much sums up the film in a nutshell. The narrative is exceptional, the core cast is brilliant, and the backup cast delivers solid but fleeting moments of brilliance. But the screenplay is where the treasure truly lies. Johnson has written a triumph here, and his text is littered with brilliance. Even Star Wars and a famous canine detective get in on the act here, and their addition delivers some of the most memorable lines in cinematic history. Truly, once you hear these references, your experience will change forever, mark my words. So, be prepared for another journey through Johnson’s brilliantly deceptive mind.
VERDICT
Overall, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is an absolute triumph. Rian Johnson has unearthed another rare gem that captures the brilliance of the first film and crafts a new mystery for us to immerse ourselves in. From its exceptional score to its slick, masterful screenplay, the film whisks us away and never lets our feet touch the ground. Although Benoit Blanc takes a back step in this outing, it allows Josh O’Connor to come to the fore and deliver a commanding performance that is as breathtaking as it is surprising. This year alone, I have seen three films starring O’Connor, and his filmography is impressive. After this, I look forward to seeing him hit the mainstream.
At the end of the day, Wake Up Dead Man brings the series back to the formula that brought it to the dance and rewards us with a mystery on par with the first film. In reality, it easily surpasses the second film, providing a genuine successor to Knives Out, and that is the highest compliment I can give. So get ready for the ultimate murder mystery. It could be paranormal or a traditional whodunnit, but one thing is for sure: it’s an excellent reminder of Rian Johnson’s brilliance, and long may it continue!
The game’s afoot, and it is a joy to watch!
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery arrives in cinemas on November 26 and will stream on Netflix from December 12.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
