Genius Or Insanity? 4.5 / 5
Directed by Rian Johnson.
Detective Benoit Blanc travels to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery involving a new cast of suspects.
Releases worldwide on Netflix: December 23rd 2022
With a one-week limited theatrical release: November 23rd 2022
Knives Out was an instant favourite of mine and my top film of the 2019 London Film Festival so it was an exciting homecoming moment when its sequel was announced as this year's closing gala. Though I tried to manage my expectations, I'm happy to report that Glass Onion is just as smart, layered and exceptional as its predecessor.
Benoit Blanc returns, this time with plenty of stylish neckerchiefs, as he receives an unexpected invitation to a billionaire's private island with an offer that is too enticing to turn down. Twists and shocking revelations, as expected, come to light giving Blanc another mystery to sink his teeth into in another sharp and intelligent script from the mind of Rian Johnson.
You can see in every scene just how much Daniel Craig is having with this character. Accompanying Craig's welcome return as Blanc is another star cast of familiar faces who all bring their own distinct personalities to the table. Janelle Monáe and Edward Norton are particularly extraordinary but there are so many secrets, surprises and reveals that it's hard to go into any more detail without giving too much away.
Rian Johnson is a master of subverting your expectations. For better or for worse, he subverted audiences' expectations in The Last Jedi, in Knives Out he plays on what to expect from an old-fashioned murder mystery and in Glass Onion he subverts your expectations of a Knives Out film. This deeply layered film takes a different approach, holding its secrets close to its chest but just as the film openly teases and admits, like a Glass Onion the centre is clear.
The best element of this series for me has to be the rewatchability factor. There are so many clues and hints tucked away in every scene that it makes every viewing as exciting as the first. Watching this with a packed crowd helps immerse you in this weird and wonderful world. It's hard to even solve-a-long with the film as you just get swept up in the ride it takes you on.
I will have to let the film sit and clock in a few more rewatches before I can confidently comment on how it stands up to the original but on initial watch Glass Onion is an enchanting and bold take on the whodunnit genre full of laughs, shocks and a mouth-watering mystery at its centre.
Written by Jack Aling Read his latest reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling
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