(Image courtesy of IMDB. “Wake Up Dead Man embodies the mystery genre with excellence.”)
Rosalie Pineda
Connector Staff
Director Rian Johnson is back again with another installment in the Knives Out franchise. “Wake Up Dead Man” has released in select theaters throughout the U.S., to critical acclaim. While the discussion for how it holds up compared to its predecessors is still ongoing, this gothic-style murder mystery is an excellent addition to the adventures of Benoit Blanc.
As with every film in the franchise (otherwise coined “Benoit Blanc Mysteries” by fans and Johnson alike), it features a totally fresh all-star cast, including Jeremy Renner, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott and Daryl McCormack. Josh O’Connor also performs as a former boxer turned priest, Jud Duplenticy, who at one point is described, as per Jud’s own words, “young, dumb, and full of Christ.”
Topping off the cast list is Daniel Craig, back as the lovable, perceptive Southern detective, Benoit Blanc. This time sporting long graying hair and a beard, a world-weary and atheistic Blanc has to team up with Reverend Duplenticy in order to solve a seemingly impossible locked-room murder.
The tone is almost completely different from the first two films. While “Knives Out” felt like an Agatha Christie mystery, and “Glass Onion” was a laugh-out-loud, summery spectacle of a mystery, the vibes of “Wake Up Dead Man” are quieter and darker, more inspired by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe. It also delves more into examinations of faith, specifically how it manifests in the Catholic church.
On that end, the film does wonderfully. Characters have compelling relationships with religion, with varying degrees of positive and negative experiences. This, in turn, contributes to the nature of the impossible crime.
The film also has comedic moments that fit right in with the previous movies. It’s also notably scarier at points, keeping viewers on their toes as they wonder what’s going to happen next. The mystery is indeed ambitious, with a satisfying payoff.
The cinematography is also notably stunning. The lighting in this film could be considered its own character with how thoughtfully it is utilized. Johnson has always been heavy with visual storytelling in these movies, and this one is no exception. The orchestral music is also a great companion.
However, despite the strong casting and performances, some ensemble characters suffered from a lack of screen time. In particular, Simone (Cailee Spaeney) felt left out in terms of plot and character depth. In comparison, so much of the story is told through Jud’s eyes that he even outshines Blanc himself.
Some fans may be disappointed with the lack of character exploration in favor of the bigger story. That said, each character still stands out in their own ways, and the little details we get about Blanc’s backstory in this film add complexity to his character.
“Wake Up Dead Man” is notably the last “Knives Out” movie released by Netflix, per its contract. Johnson has expressed interest in making future installments, with Craig reprising his role every time. Craig has also voiced the same opinion; so long as Johnson keeps writing Benoit Blanc mysteries, he’ll keep coming back to them.
Following the movie’s limited theater release, it will be available to stream on Netflix on Dec. 12. Hopefully this series continues to whet the appetites of mystery fans far into the future.
Grade: A
