CNN
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It rises to the challenge of rivaling its successful predecessor, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” while retaining its razor-sharp formula with a setting that feels even more palpably an homage to Agatha Christie before launching into a series of very clever twists. – Director Rian Johnson again assembled a solid cast behind Daniel Craig, but it was his use of language (not a single word wasted) that ultimately gave the sequel its edge.
Netflix has opportunistically stepped up to acquire the “Knives Out” franchise, breaking away from its usual “stomping on the filmmakers' ego” approach to theatrical distribution and only releasing the film for a week before it actually hits the streaming service. . Late December. Most people will probably wait to consume it from the comfort of their own home, but for those who take the plunge, it's definitely a hit with an appreciative audience.
After the family dynamics of “Knives Out,” which gave everyone the motivation to kill the patriarch, Johnson invites his old friends from a different setting, along with eccentric billionaire Miles Braun (Edward Norton). A murder mystery getaway on his secluded Greek island (during Covid) will task you with solving his “murder”.
But the game takes an unexpected turn when Craig receives an invitation from detective Benoit Blanc. Benoit Blanc remains both smart and strange.
The eclectic roster of guests/potential killers (and/or victims) includes a fashion designer/social media loose cannon (Kate Hudson) and her partner (Jessica Henwick), and a fitness influencer (Dave Bautista) and his girlfriend. /assistant (Madeleine Kline), scientist (Lesley Odom Jr.), politician (Katherine Hahn), and most interestingly, Miles' estranged former business partner (Janelle Monae).
Although the newer film clearly lacks the sense of discovery that greeted the original, and even made Chris Evans' sweater a must-have item (Chris Evans not included), Johnson recognizes that this is less about reinvention and more about reloading. Smart enough to do it. , the formula may be refreshed due to change of venue.
Plus, with this new signature role, Craig is trading in his tuxedo and physical prowess for a more cerebral form, fighting crime with a Hercule Poirot-like eavesdropping talent and Foghorn Leghorn Southern twang.
“Kneel before Zod!” In one of them. flexes, Netflix reportedly paid a lot of money to acquire these sequels. This is the kind of deal that, frankly, makes for a fun little movie and threatens to ruin it by creating unreasonable expectations.
Fortunately, “Glass Onion” finds new layers to explore in a way that makes the prospect of a new “Knives Out Mystery” every few years sound like a perfectly reasonable idea no matter where or how you consume it.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” opens in U.S. theaters on November 23 and on Netflix on December 23. It is rated PG-13.