'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' Review
Image Source: Netflix
“The Devil struck him down!”
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that Rian Johnson is one of the most creative filmmakers working today. Ever since his feature directorial debut, Brick, Johnson has consistently put out unique and thoughtful work. The Brothers Bloom may be the forgotten middle child of Johnson’s filmography, but it still has a lot of merit. Then came his mainstream recognition with his three Breaking Bad episodes (The Fly, Fifty-One, and Ozymandias), the science-fiction Joseph Gordon-Levitt vehicle Looper, and the mega-blockbuster Star Wars: The Last Jedi. While everyone and their mother has said their peace about Looper and The Last Jedi, there is no denying that they are pure Rian Johnson tales. And then came Knives Out. Originally meant to be his next film after Looper, before he was hired for The Last Jedi, Knives Out is Agatha Christie with a Rian Johnson coat of paint. Featuring an all-star cast led by Daniel Craig as world-class detective Benoit Blanc, Knives Out was a massive success, achieving Johnson’s best critical reviews to date and earning him a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. While Johnson stated he intended to work on another original film after Knives Out and move into his defunct Star Wars trilogy, he instead made a second Benoit Blanc film. Titled Glass Onion, the film received further critical and audience acclaim and earned Johnson another Oscar nomination, this time for Best Adapted Screenplay. With two back-to-back critical darlings that are often credited with revitalizing whodunits, where does Johnson go next?
Wake Up Dead Man had a lot to live up to. I don’t think anyone, even Rian Johnson himself, expected to make three Benoit Blanc films (I guess Rian got to do a trilogy after all). However, the universal rule of thumb is that the third movie in a franchise is usually not the best. Glass Onion may have received great reviews and positive audience reception. Still, it isn’t hard to find fans who felt it was a step down from Knives Out. And of course, Rian is no stranger to his films generating discourse. But luckily, Wake Up Dead Man is another triumph for the writer-director! While it may be the weakest of the three films, it’s entirely by default. Wake Up Dead Man is just as witty, engaging, and entertaining as Knives Out and Glass Onion, while also bringing its own sense of identity to the proceedings.
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Image Source: Roger Ebert.com
While many have called these Benoit Blanc films “subversions of the whodunit,” Rian Johnson doesn’t see it that way. If anything, he takes well-worn tropes of a whodunit and infuses them with his own personal spin. Critics of Johnson will tell you that he thinks he’s smarter than the audience and intentionally makes his plots complicated. But personally, I never got that from his work. Whether it’s the Benoit Blanc mysteries, Looper, Brick, or dare I say, The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson always makes sure the audience is ready and willing to figure out the puzzle. Johnson frequently rewards the audience for paying attention. Per his own words, Johnson doesn’t want the reveal to be the whole movie, as he believes that making the entire film center on the answer to the mystery makes rewatching it a bore. Because of this mentality, Rian Johnson makes sure that the main protagonists of these movies are just as interesting as the central mystery. The key to Wake Up Dead Man’s success is its tone, which aims for a more serious, emotional feel than the first two. Yes, Johnson’s signature humor is present here, particularly at the beginning, where Monsignor Wicks (played by Josh Brolin) goes into extreme detail about how often he masturbated that week. Despite the presence, Johnson’s Edgar Allen Poe-esque tone (helped by Steve Yedlin’s cinematography and the gothic production design) helps Wake Up Dead Man not feel like a rehash of Knives Out or Glass Onion.
The film’s tackling of religious extremism and the power of belief is heavy, but handled with care. Johnson’s own religious upbringing helps the story feel more alive. This makes up for the mystery not being as (for lack of a better term) twisty as the first two films. If Glass Onion was almost all mystery, Wake Up Dead Man is more dark comedy. Johnson handles the tonal balance like a pro, with every scene and shot further proving that he’s one of our most talented living filmmakers. Given the film’s more intimate setting in a small-town church, Johnson ensures it retains a heightened sense of reality. If Rian Johnson ever wants to helm a horror movie down the line, this film makes for good practice.
Image Source: The Egyptian Theatre
Like the first two films, the main selling point of Wake Up Dead Man is the ensemble cast. Our central detective, Benoit Blanc (once again played by the incomparable Daniel Craig), is joined by another colorful cast of characters, most notably, a new sidekick. Knives Out gave us Marta Cabrera, a kind-hearted nurse who tries to hide her supposed involvement in Harlan Thrombey’s death. In Glass Onion, Blanc is joined by Helen Brand, a determined school teacher hellbent on saving her sister’s name. In Wake Up Dead Man, we have Father Jud. Played by Challengers breakout star, Josh O’Connor, Father Jud is our most compelling protagonist yet. This is helped by the fact that Benoit Blanc doesn’t show up for the first 40 minutes of the film, the longest it has taken for Blanc to enter a movie. Father Jud is defined by his willingness to do good for the members of the church. His conflict with Monsignor Wicks is a driving force of the film. Wicks is more concerned with protecting his congregation from a changing world he doesn’t understand. Meanwhile, Father Jud wants to guide people through faith. Josh O’Connor steals the movie, making him the first cast member of these movies to actually top Daniel Craig. Granted, Craig is great as he often is, but the decision to focus more on Father Jud was a smart one. Josh Brolin also gives an outstanding performance as Monsignor Wicks, somehow giving a performance that’s more frightening than Thanos.
The rest of the ensemble does a great job as well, even if the film doesn’t give them all equal time. Cailee Spaeny, in particular, is severely underutilized despite delivering a strong performance. Kerry Washington and Thomas Hayden Church do great work with limited screentime. Daryl McCormack and Mila Kunis make the best with what they’re given. Jeremy Renner is fine, as he often is. But it’s Glenn Close who makes the most of her limited screentime. I’ve always said Glenn Close is one of those actors who is essentially a cheat code. Meaning if she’s in your movie, there’s a high chance she’ll deliver a remarkable performance, regardless of the film’s quality. If there is any cast member who should be pushed for Oscars, it’s Glenn Close.
Image Source: Vague Visages
Wake Up Dead Man is another feather in Rian Johnson’s cinematic cap. Like the first two films, it’s a rewarding film that only gets better on rewatches. The way Rian Johnson continues to make these films while maintaining the same originality, charm, and entertainment they’ve had since day one is a true testament to his work as an artist. Between Johnson’s intelligent screenplay and deft direction, the beautiful production design and cinematography, the performances of Craig, O’Connor, Brolin, and Close, and Nathan Johnson’s Danny Elfman-esque score, Wake Up Dead Man is cinematic proof that there are still new avenues to be found with Benoit Blanc. While I desire to have Rian Johnson return to original films (and Star Wars), should he and Daniel Craig come back for round 4, who am I to say no?
Scooby-Dooby Doo indeed.
Rating: 9.5/10
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is now streaming on Netflix.
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