Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

KNIVES OUT was an entertaining mystery seemingly inspired by the sort of tales routinely told by Agatha Christie. WAKE UP DEAD MAN returns to the mood and mystery that was lacking in THE GLASS ONION. This movie spins a solid mystery with entertaining characters and events. The performances are uniformly excellent, even in small roles like Bridget Everett's Louise. Audiences should have such a good time watching WAKE UP DEAD MAN, that they hopefully will not ponder why Benoit Blanc is present for these circumstances.

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.

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.

I felt this one was a bit different from the first two. It's still engaging and packed with suspense and mystery, but it has a slightly new flavour of its own. I actually guessed the climax about 20 minutes before it happened - but I wouldn't call it predictable. I genuinely enjoyed it, and I think you will too. I'd just say it's the least best of the three. So, keep your expectations in check and watch it with an open mind.

All the actors nailed their roles as usual, and the characters are fun and interesting. The story is solid, the narration is smooth, and the screenplay is well written. The production quality is top-notch. I especially loved the cinematography - it really pulls you into the film's world. The background score is also spot-on.

Definitely worth watching in theatres, preferably with your gang.

And for fans of this series, I'd recommend checking out the Indian web series "Brinda". It's a bit slow and lengthy, but trust me - you'll like it.

The perfect plot and acting combined with Craig's brilliant detective makes the best film in the franchise. Every actor is simply brilliant and the writing contains the most imaginative and engaging mystery shown in the past decade.

This film has to be watched.

(Special mention to Josh Brolin who is absolutely incredible in it).