Murder mysteries are becoming popular yet again! This year we’ve had Death on the Nile, See How They Run and another series of Only Murders in the Building all releasing and that is in thanks to the massive success of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery film Knives Out. Honouring the works of Agatha Christie and other great murder mystery writers, Knives Out was a breath of fresh air. A film that had twist after twist, with each character causing suspicion and a detective who is as smart as he is charismatic. The result was a mega success that streaming giant Netflix paid Rian Johnson a lot of money to write and direct two sequels! The second film Glass Onion, and featuring the subtitle of “A Knives Out Mystery” to let audiences know that this is a sequel, is finally upon us with a limited theatrical release before the streaming release this Christmas.
I was lucky enough to see this film in a cinema and I am really glad I did. The communal experience and the spectacle of the film helped create a true piece of cinema and one that definitely deserves to be seen on a big screen. Glass Onion feels much more summery than the autumnal setting of Knives Out, giving this film a different look but there are stylish quips in the costumes and set designs that does make the film feel similar to the first one too. The only connecting tissue between these two films is the detective Benoit Blanc, played again with a Kentucky-accent by Daniel Craig. Craig relishes playing the part of Blanc and brings a sense of lightheartedness and the charisma needed to bring the character to life. Joining Craig in this sequel is a true all-star cast of actors and actresses that includes Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Janelle Monáe and many more with some surprise cameos thrown in too.
Glass Onion is set on an isolated island during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the film an urgent and modern edge to it, and Edward Norton plays the character Miles Bron who is a billionaire who has his mansion built on the island and hosts a murder mystery party with his close friends invited for a weekend stay with him. What starts as fun and games soon turns into a battle for survival after an actual death occurs on the island. The scriptwriting is on excellent form with a light-hearted tone as the characters feel cooky and eccentric as well as addressing the serious nature of how people take advantage of each other in order to achieve their own ambitions. Each character is flawed and have their reasons for wanting a certain someone dead and that makes the film all the more tense and exciting.
After the death at the mansion takes place we are taken on a separate journey with a backstory revealing why all of these people are there, to begin with. Why is the film called Glass Onion? Well, it is within this second act of the film which explains why and there are multiple clever reasons why that is the title, some reasons being literal and others metaphorical. Rian Johnson is a clever writer and his past films Looper and Star Wars: The Last Jedi prove this. He has a level of intellect that makes the film feel like a chess game instead of one cohesive story. Although saying that it isn’t a complicated film, it is rather simple but it is the journey the film takes that’s exciting. By the end of the film you will be wanting to re-watch it again and again in order to pick up on everything you’ve missed.
★★★★★
5/5
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a fantastic film, smartly written and expertly delivered. From start to finish you’ll be hooked into the story and you’ll want to spend more and more time with the characters. There’s humour, there’s death and there are a lot of important messages at play here too. Edward Norton and Daniel Craig both shine in their roles as Miles Bron and Benoit Blanc, but the amazing supporting cast help elevate their performances and will keep you guessing who killed the victim right until the end of the film. It’s a shame the film is receiving a limited theatrical release but if you didn’t manage to see it don’t worry because Glass Onion will eventually be released on Netflix by Christmas.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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