$468 million. Netflix paid this huge amount to buy the rights to two sequels_Knives Out_. It only made the piggy bank of protagonist Daniel Craig fuller,but it mainly ensured that the streaming service got a blockbuster that couldbe unpacked. So it’s no surprise that the first of these films will bereleased worldwide just before Christmas Eve.
The concept of Knives Out was simple: a detective story in the mosttraditional sense of the word, reminiscent of the Agatha Christie films of the1970s, with an omniscient sleuth at the helm, played by the man who gave JamesBond the necessary balls. It was a magic formula that worked more than fine in2019. You would expect writer-director Rian Johnson to make it easy on himselfby ruminating everything nicely, but that turns out not to be the case,
In fact, the only similarity between Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery andits predecessor is that both films revolve around Benoit Blanc, the bestsleuth in the world. The tranquility of Knives Out makes in _Glass Onions_room for a bombastic and noisy approach, which in terms of direction isreminiscent of Guy Ritchie’s hypernervous style. For some it will work, forothers it could turn out to be a disappointment.
Following up on The Menu and Triangle of Sadness gives Glass Onions akick in the butt of the very rich. Where Knives Out punched Donald Trump andhis staunch supporters in the stomach, here it is the rich snobs who arepilloried. And you can be pretty sure that Johnson wants to put Elon Musk inhis shirt with this blow from the pan.
Miles Bron, played just a little too routinely by Edward Norton, is abillionaire who can afford anything thanks to his inventions and is only toohappy to show it off. To illustrate: because the French government can nolonger handle the debt mountain of the corona pandemic, this boaster evenmanages to get his hands on the Mona Lisa. Corona is discussed more than onceand that is a shame, because by putting on a face mask at the beginning of thefilm, you make the film dated in advance.
Every year, Bron invites his best friends to an extravagant party. In pureCluedo style, the industrialist chooses to solve a murder mystery. That is ofcourse tying the cat to the bacon, because the game becomes raw reality in aquip. Among the invitees, even though the man was not on the list, is BenoitBlanc.
Who is a fan of Knives Out and that must be just about the whole world,would do well not to compare the two films. Glass Onions has a much moreexuberant approach than its predecessor. You notice that not only in the wayof directing, but also in the acting of Craig, who just doesn’t make acaricature of his character. The fact that he doesn’t go public proves onceagain what a great actor he is and that there is still a life for him afterhis 007 career.
Craig is therefore the star who makes the rest of the cast smell a shit andthat is the biggest problem of this sequel. Dave Bautista is fun, EdwardNorton can confidently apply for a James Bond villain, and this mysterythriller features the funniest cameo of the year, but the characters aren’tnearly as fun as last time. So no women who puke when they lie, but characterswhose lives revolve around hits on social media.
Another downside is that Rian Johnson demands a lot from his viewer. Althoughthe plot is predictable, this is still a film where you have to keep an eyeout all the way through. The denouements are all a bit too obvious, but youcan put that problem in the shoes of any detective. After all, they noticethings that mere mortals ignore.
But enough whining, Glass Onions may not have become the blockbuster thatknocks its competitors down, but it is a nice game of entertainment from adirector who mainly wanted to have fun. So don’t ask too many questions, justwatch. Before you know it you’ve already had two fun hours.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery can be seen on Netflix.