Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) *****

 

Let's face it; 2022 was not the best year for movies. There were a few standouts: "Top Gun: Maverick" was solid, popcorn entertainment. B.J. Novak's clever mystery "Vengeance" did not get a lot of traction, but it was excellent, as was another sleeper, the thriller "Kimi." There were a few other 2022 films that I found at least decently entertaining, if forgettable, including “Bullet Train,” “Confess, Fletch,” and "Death on the Nile," but otherwise, 2022 was a year where we saw the results of all the Covid-related film production shutdowns.

That last movie I mentioned is Kenneth Branagh's take on the novel by Agatha Christie, and, like his 2017 version of “Murder on the Orient Express,” it's good entertainment, but rather forgettable. There is another director, however, also inspired by Agatha Christie, who is making much more inspired, more modern whodunit-style mysteries. Rian Johnson's breakout hit "Knives Out" was a smart, funny whirlwind of a mystery, with an all-star cast. The film not only rewarded multiple viewings, it demanded them. Now Johnson has done it again with “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” streaming on Netflix.

Daniel Craig reprises his role as detective Benoit Blanc, with his ridiculous southern drawl and his ridiculously-sharp deductive mind. Blanc once again finds himself invited to solve a murder, but this one is supposed to be fictional. Tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) has invited a few friends to his island for a game where they will try to solve his “murder.” Among Bron's high-flying associates are a couple of internet influencers (Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista), the governor of Connecticut (Kathryn Hahn), and Bron's head scientist (Leslie Odom, Jr.). For some reason, he has also invited his former business partner, Andi (Janelle Monae), who helped him build his empire, and from whom he took everything. Besides Andi, these are Miles's closest friends, but we learn that each of them has a possible motive to want him dead.

With his first film, 2005's “Brick,” Rian Johnson demonstrated a talent for updating a classic movie genre - hard-boiled noir in that instance. With the “Knives Out” franchise, he is updating the whodunit genre with a modern sensibility and humor. I don't know how many of these he, or the audience, will be good for. It's possible that the exploits of Benoit Blanc, or at least his accent, will get tiresome eventually. I suspect it will depend a lot of whether Johnson can come up with truly fresh stories and characters and populate his films with compelling actors. In “Glass Onion” he does both, with a stellar cast and a story that is completely different from “Knives Out.”

So settle in with a snack and a drink (the movie is 2 hours, 19 minutes) and get ready to pay attention. The plot here is even more convoluted than that of “Knives Out,” and just as much fun. The clues are all there, but if you blink, you'll miss them, which is why I know I will be re-watching “Glass Onion” very soon.

5 stars out of 5