Knives Out 3: Wake Up Dead Man

If you're a fan of the classic mysteries, then you'll love Wake Up Dead Man. True to the last two Knives Out, Rian Johnson has a way of holding a mirror up on Americans (first with greed, second with stupidity); this time it's with following someone so blindly due to their charisma, even though we know better.

He adds an additional layer of the love/hate relationship in religion and calling out misogyny, hatred and racism for what it is and its disguise of traditionalism. He definitely did not hold back and as a modern Christian, I'm here for it!

But barring the modern parables, Rian Johnson delivers an omage to the great classic mysteries of the past by giving a new twist to the "who dun it". Anyone who has binged classic Sherlock, Marple, and Peroit will get a twinge of nostalgia filling this from start to finish.

The storytelling strikes the same notes as the previous two and of course with Poker Face with a "now, then, now" but in a way that feels different and not have you going "yep classic Rian"

Daniel Craig delivers once again a stellar performance and of course the cast is never disappointing. The only complaint is the same I have is the same as the previous installments; there are so many wonderfully casted heavy hitters, it's hard to given them all their fare share of screen time.

Can't wait for it to be out streaming so I can buy it and watch it over and over again like the first two. Benoit Blanc strikes again.

On a personal note, just a little sad that a character was teased out previously only to not see them again.

By Ian Chandler - November 27, 2025

Wake Up Dead Man is Rian Johnson's latest murder mystery in the Benoit Blanc franchise and, fortunately, the final installment produced under Netflix's oversight. Similar to Kenneth Branagh's third Poirot film, A Haunting in Venice, this third Blanc installment has a rich gothic atmosphere and religious themes. Like its predecessors, Wake Up Dead Man features an exemplary ensemble, including Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, and several other notable actors. This picture also has, in my view, the trickiest mystery of the trilogy. Despite the marvelous cast and improved suspense, this whodunit has one grave mistake: its unremarkable, stereotypical character writing. With its combination of sharp suspense and uneven characters, Wake Up Dead Man is simultaneously the Blanc series' finest and most flawed entry.

Similar to the opening of Glass Onion, Wake Up Dead Man brims with awkwardly executed humor that leaves a weak first impression. For example, a priest admits to masturbating -- a conversation drags on long after the punchline. But once the unamusing gags are out of the way, the film begins to dig into its unusual homicide with greater focus. Once that casket is opened, it also introduces more subtle, effective humor. Blanc is not as delightfully goofy as he was in the previous two, but he still retains his charming, Southern personality. The tone is not as overbearingly quirky as Glass Onion, dialing back forced comedy in favor of a slightly darker approach.

The film's most striking feature is its meticulously crafted setting. From the intricate, medieval structures to the gravestones recurring throughout, this Blanc adventure feels the most atmospheric. Though it is by no means as dark or as suffocating as A Haunting in Venice, its grave mood helps it differ from its two older siblings. However, the vibe is slightly downgraded by the fact that it was meant to be a Netflix movie. Its aspect ratio, camerawork, and editing are characteristic of typical Netflix productions. Even so, the set design and score overpower the streamlined post-production, helping preserve the film's unique character. Gratefully, the ghastly hands of Netflix will release the series from its grasp moving forward. With that, perhaps we will get the extra cinematic flourish that Knives Out enjoyed.

The mystery, while still not as brilliant as some of Agatha Christie's best, is notably sharper than Glass Onion's -- and arguably even Knives Out. It is more complicated, sinister, and frankly, weird. The case also benefits from a much-improved pace, gradually uncovering twists and clues instead of the abrupt nature some whodunits fall for. I failed to guess the guilty party, something I cannot say about the first two Blanc mysteries. Without spoiling anything, it is enough to say that the mystery's structure has never been this sharp and biting.

Wake Up Dead Man, though its mystery is alive and well, wears out on the character department. At least four of them barely utter ten lines throughout the entire film. A lot of them have limited personality, thanks to the film's embrace of unimaginative stereotypes. Catholicism is bizarre, cult-like, and flawed -- a great opportunity to create memorable suspects. But instead of properly exploring the characters' beliefs and perhaps uncovering more of the denomination's nature, the film delivers the same, shallow behavior and jokes you see across decades of filmmaking. While Blanc and a few other characters have enough substance to chew on, the rest are practically Post-it notes.

Moreover, Wake Up Dead Man fails to explore thought-provoking themes of spirituality. Given the stark contrasts between Blanc's atheism and the suspects' Christianity, there was plenty of potential to provide great arguments. Well implemented commentary could have served as sprinkles on top of the movie's mysterious platter. What we get instead is a tired retread of the most amateur arguments from both sides. It goes overboard by simplifying atheism and Christianity, rendering both stances far frailer than they actually are. I do not recall any film in recent memory that handled these opposing beliefs so poorly.

Where I would rank Johnson's newest movie is an enigma. It resolves a lot of issues I had with the otherwise solid Glass Onion, but it introduces new flaws that were not as apparent in the other Benoit Blanc cases. Its creepy environment adds a much-needed extra layer of flavor to the franchise. However, half of the characters are frankly nonexistent, and the others are stuck in outdated stereotypes. So, Wake Up Dead Man wastes its shot at being among the best whodunit pictures. The feature is simply a complicated, thoroughly written whodunit held under the clutches of lazy commentary on arguably the longest debate in human history.

Score: 74/100

Summary (for quick reference): Sharp, sinister, and weird, Wake Up Dead Man moves the whodunit forward -- but some characters are afterthoughts and its religious themes go numb.

I travelled about 300 miles to my first film festival screening for the chance to see this movie early and I can honestly say that it was time and money well spent. I've been excited about and following these movies from the moment the first Knives Out was announced and it's given me nothing but complete satisfaction. Watching all 3 movies in quick succession only further confirmed my love for them. Even if I think Wake Up Dead Man is my least favourite of the bunch I still loved the experience it provides and maybe more so than the first two movies I can't wait to rewatch it just to catch on to the next embarrassing amount of details in almost every scene.

Something I love about what Johnson does with these movies is that he creates a wholly different experience with every new entry. It's part of their lasting appeal and I quickly gave up on any notion that I was going to correctly predict anything because it's a script that I have no shame in admitting is a lot smarter than I am. It's unbelievably dense, even more so than I expected, and even if that occasionally comes to the films detriment I was just actively excited to see how everything was going to tie together because I had no reason to expect this movie to take a single misstep on a story level.

Wake Up Dead Man is decidedly different from its predecessors and in ways that never felt gimmicky. There's even more moral complexity this time around to the point where I could see their being a real discussion around the justifications of certain characters which is not something I could say to the same degree for the other films. It's actually quite thoughtful it's commentary on religion and people of faith without ever being afraid to poke fun at the absurdity of the situations it's presenting and it thankfully never felt cheap. It is absolutely hilarious in how the jokes sneak up on you and it was so unbelievably satisfying to watch this movie with an audience which is another one of the mountain of reasons I'm unbelievably frustrated that these movies have been relegated to Netflix.

Wake Up Dead Man feels considerably plot focused and I did feel that sometimes came at the expense of the characters. They're appropriately colourful and fun to watch that I felt were developed the least so far. I loved the proxy-protagonist of Josh O'Connor this time around and I was really happy with the complex backstory they gave his character. He plays of Daniel Craig so well and just like the first two movies he's the main point of investment for the entire narrative. I loved Glenn Close in how mysterious she is and I so enjoyed how unhinged Josh Brolin's character and performance was. The rest of the characters didn't feel that compelling to me but they all get their moments to shine and as always it's just a delight to see this many actors of this calibre on screen together.

I also think the film is lacking a little bit of something that sets it apart from the rest of murder mystery genre. Both Knives Out and Glass Onion had structures that set them apart and feel entirely their own. While this movie isn't entirely linear it's a lot more linear than I expected. I kept expecting to film to make a turn that changed things but instead it ends up feeling like a story we might have seen before but executed to the highest level of quality possible. I also cannot overstate how packed this script is with details but I don't know that I can always say it was for the better. The first 30 minutes in particular throw a lot at you and it doesn't end up feeling like intrigue or tension building but just like a lot of information that left me feeling overwhelmed. I think it takes a bit too long for the story to introduce Benoit Blanc and the slight worry I have is that some of these sections might drag on rewatch knowing where everything goes but that doesn't stop my desire to go back to this movie again in the slightest.

Wake Up Dead Man sits comfortably next to the other Knives Out movies and even despite its shortcomings it doesn't change any desire I have to see Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson make countless more mysteries. It totally stands on its own as a new experience and it's going to take at least a few watches to catch every little clue that Rian Johnson weaves into the narrative and I'll happily go back to this movie to discover them. A great movie and a great experience and I'll be so excited to see what Johnson does next whatever it ends up being.

Wake Up Dead Man is very different from its two predecessors. In fact, it's the least original in terms of story structure and feels the most like a traditional murder mystery. And yet, it's my second favorite in the franchise-I enjoyed it more than the second film. What fascinates me most about this series is how Rian Johnson reinvents the formula each time. The only constants are the title character-once again superbly portrayed by Daniel Craig-and the presence of a murder mystery. Everything else changes completely from film to film, and that's one of the franchise's greatest strengths.

Still, none of the sequels have reached the heights of the first for me.

As usual, the ensemble cast is incredible, but the clear standouts-excluding Craig-are Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, and Josh Brolin. The first two, in particular, absolutely deserve Oscar nominations. Their characters are also the most compelling in the entire story.

The screenplay is wonderful, tying up every thread. Everything-plotlines, mysteries, character arcs-has a clear beginning, middle, and end. That's something I loved, especially because the film is packed with story and information. I'd say it's the densest entry in the franchise. And despite a few comedic moments, it's also the darkest, diving into themes of religion, faith, and the morality of its characters more than ever before.

Everything in the film works incredibly well; I just didn't love it.

Rian Johnson has done it again with Wake Up Dead Man, another clever and satisfying whodunit that offers something different to its two predecessors. It feels like a fitting film for the moment by focusing on the hatred festering in closed off communities and the importance of letting it go in order to move on but it's still a really fun mystery as well. It'll benefit from repeat viewings and definitely plays well on the big screen, making its future on Netflix frustrating.

Josh O'Connor is this film's greatest asset. He gives a fantastic performance where he gets to be sensitive, funny and navigate his character's anger in an empathetic fashion. Daniel Craig only continues to be a hilarious highlight who feels very comfortable with the intelligence and heart of Benoit Blanc now that he's played the character three times. Together, they are a wonderful pairing who only get funnier and more lovable when playing off each other.

Everyone else in the star studded cast is great. Josh Brolin is initially unrecognisable as he quickly becomes a commanding presence and Glenn Close has a suitably unwavering commitment. Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott and Daryl McCormack all know how to mine the pathetic nature of their characters for comedic effect. Cailee Spaeny and Thomas Haden Church are more sympathetic than the rest of the characteristically self-obsessed suspects here.

Rian Johnson's direction ensures this instalment has its own look and feel when compared to what came before thanks to some horror movie flourishes and a slightly darker tone. Steve Yedlin's dynamic cinematography also helps to make the film feel different and it generally looks a lot better than so many Netflix originals with graceful camerawork, striking lighting and a richer texture. Nathan Johnson's score effortlessly adapts to the new style too.