Just more than three years ago, Knives Out, Rian Johnson’s subversive revival of the whodunit genre, became the third biggest non-franchise film of 2019 at the domestic box office. Now former James Bond actor Daniel Craig is back as lovable detective Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The sequel is an exciting and fresh new murder mystery that’s at least on par with its predecessor.
The second film premiered on Netflix Dec. 23 after an exclusive one-week release on nearly 700 movie theatre screens across North America. However, it is a shame that this film only got to play in theatres for one week on nearly 3,000 fewer screens than the original. The experience of seeing such a thrilling film in a packed theatre cannot be beat. Nothing is better than the shared sense of satisfaction in the air when the pieces click into place and the mystery reveals itself.
Glass Onion boasts an incredible ensemble cast—including Edward Norton as a tech billionaire, Janelle Monáe as his ex-business partner, Dave Bautista as a misogynistic Twitch streamer and men’s rights activist, and Kathryn Hahn as a U.S. Senate candidate.
As Blanc, Craig was the standout among the ensemble, assuming a more active role in the narrative than in the previous film. The dynamic and multi-layered character served as a compelling guide while he solved the mystery.
Some characters were a bit less fleshed out and were particularly in need of more attention, such as the wealthy fashion designer’s assistant played by Jessica Henwick. However, even the lesser-developed characters got at least a couple moments to shine.
Glass Onion may also be among Netflix’s most technically impressive films. The film is visually gorgeous, as Johnson’s usual cinematographer Steve Yedlin trades the warm autumn tone in the first film for the sun-drenched Greek islands.
Yedlin also stunningly captures the film’s Oscar-worthy production design of the luxurious beachside mansion that much of the film takes place in. Viewing the film on a smaller screen may lessen the impact of many of these visuals, while also causing some of the wonderful hidden details packed into each frame to go unnoticed.
This film ultimately works so well because Johnson knows how to entertain a crowd. The sequel goes big—with bigger sets, bigger stakes and bigger laughs—but none of the charm and wit from the previous film is lost amid Johnson’s heightened ambitions. Glass Onion is an irresistible crowd-pleaser that is endlessly entertaining while remaining technically impressive and thematically rich.
The joy of seeing a film like this in a crowded theatre is an experience streaming could never replicate. In this new age where streaming services are competing for our attention, we may be looking at a future where films are seen as disposable content used to drive monthly subscriptions. Films that revel in the excitement of the theatrical experience may become increasingly rare. If audiences continue to embrace films like Glass Onion, there may still be hope for the future of the theatrical experience.
That being said, Glass Onion is still one of the best things you could be watching right now, even if you missed the chance to see it on the big screen. Though the experience is greatly improved in a packed theatre full of movie lovers, you may still be able to experience most of what this film has to offer without leaving your house.
Gather some friends and family and watch this film together at home. Johnson’s witty and mysterious sequel will keep you laughing and guessing until the very end.
Featured image by John Wilson.
