Rian Johnson’s third whodunnit, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, confirms the franchise is still full of life.
Having made Glass Onion feel flashy but unbalanced, this installment returns the series to its smart and stylish beginnings. Opening at the Toronto International Film Festival, the movie reminds viewers of the clever, tongue-in-cheek fun that propelled the original Knives Out into an out-of-left-field hit back in 2019.
This chapter swaps ray-filled excess for tempestuous gothic mood, borrowing from Edgar Allan Poe and John Dickson Carr. Daniel Craig reprises detective Benoit Blanc, this time caught up in a murder probe of a divisive small-town priest, played by Josh Brolin. When the priest is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Josh O’Connor’s Jud – a former boxer turned priest – finds himself as the prime suspect and must collaborate with Blanc to clear his own name.
The cast includes Kerry Washington, Glenn Close, Cailee Spaeny, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Daryl McCormack, and Jeremy Renner. O’Connor delivers a standout performance that solidifies his status as a leading man, while Craig injects Blanc with fresh energy, sidestepping the risk of self-parody taken in Glass Onion.
What keeps Wake Up Dead Man so effective is Johnson’s return to form. Forgotten are the heavy-handed cameos and internet-infused gimmicks that weighed down the previous film. Instead, Johnson embraces a complex, twist-rich mystery that balances contemporary themes with old-fashioned whodunnit framework. The movie incorporates commentary on religious hypocrisy, blind faith, and opportunism, but in a manner that feels organic to the story rather than attached as an afterthought.
The outcome is a more satisfying and better-made puzzle, replete with the acid quick wit and political bite that are becoming Johnson’s signature. Although no one cast member gets equally as much opportunity to display their stuff, there aren’t any deadweight performers, with Close and Washington turning in especially good work.
Shot in the UK but based in upstate New York, a few sequences sometimes come across as too contrived, but the overall sense of energy and craft prevents the film from tipping over into Netflix gloss. With confident storytelling, excellent performances, and a payoff that has resonance, Wake Up Dead Man is killer good fun and proves this franchise is back in business.
The film hits theaters November 26 before streaming on Netflix December 12.
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