Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Movie Review
When news broke that there would be a sequel to Knives Out (2019), I was conflicted. The original movie was incredibly enjoyable featuring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, the hilarious Southern detective whose Holmes-like ability to crack cases was legendary. I was excited to see Blanc take on a new case, while also feeling hesitant about writer and director Rian Johnson’s ability to recreate the magic of the first movie. The worrying was all for naught, as Johnson proved that he is more than capable of positioning Blanc in another compelling and fun story.
In Glass Onion, Blanc (and the rest of the world) are in the midst of the earlier months of the pandemic. We see party girl Birdie (Kate Hudson), scientist Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.), viral muscle-man Duke (Dave Bautista), and politician Claire (Kathryn Hahn) on a phone call discussing a box that was sent to them by mutual friend Miles (Edward Norton). The box whips them through a series of puzzles and ends with an invitation to Miles’ private island off the coast of Greece. Blanc is also invited to the party, which winds up being a pre-planned murder mystery. Chaos of course ensues and everything is not exactly as it seems, forcing Blanc to crack both the fake murder mystery and a real one.
The characters in Glass Onion are even more outlandish and unlikeable than the first movie. Kate Hudson is absolutely hysterical as Birdie who has a knack for saying inappropriate things on social media. At one point she mistakenly thinks sweatshops are places where sweatpants are made and most of her lines, delivered with Hudson’s trademark earnestness, will have you laughing out loud. Edward Norton is perfectly cast as Miles, the touted genius and billionaire of a science and tech company who is actually a buffoon. Miles will remind you of an Elon Musk type and frequently uses words incorrectly while trying to sound smart. The real scene stealer is Janelle Monae who plays Andi, an ex-friend of the group who was screwed over in a business deal with Miles. Her arrival sends shock waves through the group and her role throughout the story will leave you flabbergasted.
The mystery has layer upon layer, much like the first movie, and delivers some truly fun twists and turns that most people won’t see coming. The dialogue is snappy and witty with plenty of laugh out loud moments involving a fax machine, the Mona Lisa, and hot sauce made by Jared Leto. Daniel Craig in particular delivers some truly hilarious lines that give Blanc even more personality and makes him more endearing this time around. The mystery is fun and will remind you of Clue (Monae even delivers a line saying, “This never happens in Clue.”) but the characters are the most enjoyable part of the film. Their dynamic together is a blast to watch and their secrets are all intriguing enough to keep you invested in the story. Johnson proves he can create another hit mystery film with Blanc at the center. Glass Onion is just as much fun as the original with new characters that are complex yet light-hearted. Here’s hoping we get a third movie with Blanc cracking yet another case.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like murder mysteries
2. You liked Knives Out
3. You like complex stories with many layers
