Glass Onion is now streaming on Netflix.
Benoit Blanc is back in the new Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion. The follow-up, now streaming on Netflix, was written and directed by Rian Johnson. Daniel Craig’s famous southern detective once again steals the show. This time, he is joined by an entirely new star-studded cast.
Edward Norton plays shallow tech billionaire Miles Bron, who throws a murder mystery party and invites five of his closest friends: Claire, the governor of Connecticut (played by Kathryn Hahn), washed-up former model Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), Dave Bautista as men’s rights Twitch streamer Duke Cody, (who always carries his pistol on him, even while swimming), Bron’s lead scientist Lionel (played by Leslie Odom Jr.), and Janelle Monae as scorned ex-girlfriend and ousted co-founder Andi Brand. They’re all power players in politics, fashion, science, and celebrity. Jessica Henwick and Madelyn Cline round out the cast as Birdie’s assistant Peg and Cody’s girlfriend, respectively.
What starts as a silly mystery party (irresponsibly thrown at the height of the pandemic) turns real when one of the attendees drops dead. With the legitimate murder delayed until the second act, the characters have more time to display their personalities and motivations. The mystery deepens when someone is revealed not to be who they say they are. The “Whodunnit” isn’t the most compelling part of this film; it’s how Blanc and his secret partner unravel the crime.
Johnson keeps the individual layers of the mystery relatively simple so the audience can follow as Blanc gradually peels them back through flashbacks and deductions. Unfortunately, this leaves Glass Onion slightly more contrived than the original, but ultimately still entertaining. The sequel leans much more into the laughs than Knives Out did while pointing fingers at specific real-life targets.
This star-filled romp is filled to the brim with visual gags and laugh-out-loud moments. From the tasteless layout of the billionaire’s island mansion to Jeremy Renner’s brand of hot sauce playing a vital role, it’s more about laughs than sentimentality this time.
Verdict
I give Glass Onion 4 out of 5 stars. The twists and turns should please fans of the murder mystery genre, even if it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor. Read more Reviews on Nerdtropolis and Subscribe to our YouTube.
