Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Entertains But Doesn't Beat Knives Out

      In a year that sees the release of numerous long-awaited yet phenomenal sequels ranging from Top Gun: Maverick to Hocus Pocus 2, Puss In Boots 2: The Way Of Water, and Avatar: The Way Of Water, both Netflix and director Rian Johnson finally deliver their much-anticipated sequel to the 2019 smash hit Knives Out with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Bringing back the originals main lead, Daniel Craig and boasting a new killer ensemble cast, Glass Onion takes murder mystery to the next level with a follow-up that's witty and entertaining, even if it doesn't quite match its knockout predecessor.

      Glass Onion's plot See's Detective Benoit Blanc once again being put on the case when tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek Island with one of the guests turning up dead. Glass Onion offers more of the same clever buildup of thrills while maintaining the originals wittiness with the main difference being the switching up of the stories setting being secluded to an island along with a new batch of talented charismatic faces. With Onion, Johnson takes all of the essential ingredients required in crafting a strong sequel and applies them here with the end result making for a generally satisfying sequel to a film that could've essentially worked as being its own standalone story. 

      One of the key elements that made Knives Out such an entertaining and fun experience is the energy put forth by its fantastic cast with Glass Onion's ensemble being no exception. Daniel Craig delivers a wily and joyful performance as private investigator Benoit Blanc with him brilliantly combining both comedy and seriousness simultaneously. His character is truly compelling with audiences left wanting to see more of him once the story ends. Edward Norton gives what's undeniably his best performance in years as New York billionaire Miles Bron, who invites everyone to his island in hopes of participating in a murder mystery game. Norton plays his character as having an Elon Musk type persona with audiences left guessing on what surprises his character has up his sleeve for his guests. Janelle Monae shines in a duo role as twin sisters Helen and Andi Brand, with the latter being Mile's ex-business partner. Monae is not just terrific here but displays some impressive range in playing both roles. Kate Hudson kills it as politically incorrect and hedoinistic former supermodel Birdie Jay, who says what's on her mind without thinking. The rest of the ensemble deliver noteworthy performances with Dave Bautista continuing to stretch his acting skills as video game streamer and men's right activist on Twitch and You Tube, Duke Cody. Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr. both add to the fun as the governor of Connecticut, Kathryn Hahn with Odom as Lionel, the head scientist for Mile's company, and Jessica Henwick as Birdie's assistant, Peg. As a whole, Glass Onion's cast delivers.

      With directing, Rian Johnson applies the same sharp, layered style of directing that he presented with Knives Out. Here he incorporates enormous amounts of sharp humor that cuts away at the stories main characters, particularly those who are social influencers. For the films setting, Johnson picks a rich location that gives the sequel a flashier presence than the first with cinematography that's both sharp and crisp. Returning as composer is Nathan Johnson, who composed the first and once again assembles a slick soundtrack that enhances not only the mystery surrounding the plot, but also its level of fun. In terms of pacing, Glass Onion feels more like a slow-burner this time around in comparison to its predecessor. However, despite running 130 minutes, Johnson keeps audiences engaged with the mystery surrounding the island along with the unique ensemble of characters. As far as directing goes, Johnson does a fine job here and adds more comedy to the mix to make things twice as fun, despite his work not being quite as flawless this time around. 

      When it comes to scriptwriting, Glass Onion keeps the same refreshing satirical humor that made the original Knives Out such a pleasant surprise. Whereas that film dealt with the greed that lies within wealthy families with political undertones regarding immigration status playing a key role within its plot, Glass Onion has Johnson poking fun at the rich and showing that the wealthy and powerful aren't much smarter than that of normal people. Whereas both films are solely murder mystery stories, it's the spoofing of the political moment in the United States that makes them click with audiences. Craig's character, Benoit, is even more enjoyable here with his character losing none of the sharpness that made him a driving force previously. Like the first Knives Out, the sequel comes with its own share of twist and turns, including one in the films latter half that'll blow audiences minds. Johnson also incorporates colorful characters including an arrogant genius who appears to be a clear rip-off if Musk, a clueless fashionista who thinks saying what others don't want to say is smart, and an unpleasant YouTuber who screams comparisons to controversial podcaster Joe Rogan. Johnson establishes distinctive characters who are all prime suspects in plotting a murder. Like Knives Out, the key element that makes Glass Onion work is how the script balances the endless amount of shade that Johnson was throwing at the toxic wealthy figures, while delivering another mystery puzzle for audiences to unpack.

      Is Glass Onion better than Knives Out? No, the first film still stands out as being the more impressively crafted whodunnit that took its genres old plot tropes and reinvigorated them in a way that felt fresh and highly fun to watch once again. Although the sequel doesn't quite feel as sly or well-crafted as the first, it possesses enough of what made Knives Out a hit with audiences to work as its own story. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is loud, funny, flashy, and ultimately a generally satisfying sequel with great performances from its stellar ensemble cast.

Final Verdict: If you loved Knives Out then you'll enjoy Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery almost as much. SEE IT.

Images Courtesy Of Netflix