Over the past few years, Rian Johnson has created two incredibly entertaining murder-mystery films: Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Both of these films star Daniel Craig as the ever-charismatic Benoit Blanc and take the audience along for a very fun, murder-filled ride. It’s been three years since we last joined Benoit Blanc on the job, but the wait has come to an end with Rian Johnson's latest murder mystery, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Has Johnson gone three for three, or does this case of a murdered priest not meet expectations?
Jud Duplenticy is a former boxer-turned Catholic priest. After getting into a physical altercation with a rude deacon (knocked his lights out), he is sent to upstate New York to become second in command at a local church. Jud arrives at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a church run by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, whom Jud is eager to impress. However, when Wicks’s true colours begin to show, and Jud meets the church regulars, he begins to feel out of his depth. When tragedy strikes the church during the Good Friday service, with Jud being the prime suspect, only one detective can uncover the truth in this most holy of places: Benoit Blanc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery in this film, which is why I’m hesitant to mention any more details about the plot. It’s a tense and interesting ride the whole way through, with plenty of twists and turns, and even a couple of red herrings for when you’re getting close to figuring out the impossible crime.
I say all of this, but I must confess, I clocked the killer within the first 10 minutes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sure, I was certain they were responsible, but I didn’t know how (or why), so the mystery for me then became how they did it and whether they had any help. I almost think this was an intentional choice from Rian Johnson, who assumed that some audience members would figure things out too quickly, and if so, it’s a brilliant bit of writing (or he just got lucky). Regardless, I was still engaged in the mystery, characters, and how Benoit Blanc pieced everything together.
Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc has been one of the best original characters created in film in a hot minute, and Craig continues to impress with his performance here. The brilliant detective with a distinct southern twang (that reminds me a lot of Foghorn Leghorn) is a delight to watch as he pieces together all manner of crimes (mostly murders). On a side note, I would love for Daniel Craig to play Benoit Blanc in a Muppet mystery with Craig playing the role completely straight (think The Muppets Christmas Carol with Michael Caine). I just think that would be phenomenal. Daniel Craig isn’t the only fantastic actor in this film.
As expected in a Knives Out film, the ensemble cast is excellent. The two standouts for me are Josh O’Connor as Jud Duplenticy and Josh Brolin as Jefferson Wicks. Starting with O’Connor, he does great as the reformed man of faith that is Jud, and I loved seeing him wrestle with the inner demons that he obviously still has. I also enjoyed his earnest attitude and sense of justice throughout the film, which made me really like his character. The same cannot be said for Jefferson Wicks, who is a massive asshole, and Josh Brolin nailed the role. The loud, obnoxious, overzealous, aggressive head of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude is a piece of work, but I couldn’t help but enjoy Brolin’s performance. Don’t get me wrong, Wicks is a dick, but that’s the point, and Brolin understood the assignment.
O’Connor and Brolin aside, the rest of the cast did great as well, even if some didn’t receive much screentime. Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church all do well with the relatively brief screen time they were given, but I wish they had a few more chances to shine. I know that is unreasonable as the film would become way too long, but I wish maybe one or two of them got a bit more spotlight (specifically Spaeny as Simone Vivane and Washington as Vera Draven).
Everyone has their opinions on Rian Johnson as a writer (most vocal about The Last Jedi), but one thing that no one can deny is that he knows how to make a beautiful shot, and I dare say that Wake Up Dead Man might be some of his best. Every scene is expertly crafted to give you just enough information about the story, characters, and the overall vibe to keep you invested every single moment.
My favourite example of this is during the first meeting between Benoit and Jud. They are having a discussion about faith and whether either of them believes in what the church preaches. When Jud is talking about his reason to believe, bright lights shine into the church from above, creating a warm atmosphere that you typically associate with Jesus talk. However, when Blanc presents a more realistic worldview, the light fades, and the church looks less holy and more like just another building. These lighting decisions occur throughout the film, and they help differentiate Wake Up Dead Man from other Knives Out installments.
The soundtrack, while not the main selling point, also added tremendously to the film's tone, accentuating several key moments for dramatic and comedic effect. I would go into detail about these moments, but that would include some major plot spoilers. However, I assure you, the choice of music is impeccable.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is an absolute blast from beginning to end. I loved following Benoit Blanc and Jud as they pieced together what happened on Good Friday, even if I guessed the killer from the get-go. I do wish some of the supporting cast had a bit more of an impact on the story, but that’s a minor complaint in an otherwise fantastic film. I would highly recommend you check this film out as soon as possible and see if you can solve the impossible crime.
Have you seen Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery? What did you think? Did you guess the killer? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about our favourite murder mystery films.
