Directed by Rian Johnson
Language: English
Year: 2022
Shaun’s Rating: 2.9/5 ★
Before Watching:
I’ve often wondered if the Glass is truly greener on the other side of a Netflix buyout, but America’s latest whodunit is the smoking gun. It’s true, Rian Johnson is back with a timely Knives Out (2019) sequel, this time without Chris Evans’ inadvertently viral Aran Islands sweater. The only returning character is Daniel Craig’s beloved Benoit Blanc—again sporting the almost unironically absurd Foghorn Leghorn drawl—who now cracks cases with a positively snatched ascot collection that pays homage to his forefathers of stylish sleuthing.
Blanc finds himself invited to a Greek island retreat with a group of old frenemies who call themselves “disruptors” from their start-up days, and the tension is so thick you could cut it with a… shard of glass? Sorry, trying to update my puns for the new film. Anyhow, the cast is stuffed with stars, including Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, and a stunning Janelle Monáe. Familiar archetypes from pop culture are satirized with A-listers, including a Joe Rogan-meets-Andrew Tate men’s rights Twitch streamer portrayed by Dave Bautista (complete with a gun strapped to his animal print Speedo). We also find a Mediterranean-chic Elon Musk in Ed Norton, delivering all the trappings of a narcissistic tech executive. The acting is strong, but sometimes more theatrical than cinematic—Bautista and Hahn in particular deliver bold characters that would be more at home on a 42nd Street stage than on the Netflix screen. Nevertheless, the ensemble is cohesive enough to navigate a murder mystery party gone wrong.
Johnson dusts off many classic Hitchcock techniques that audiences recognize from Knives Out, including rewinding and showing the same scene from different angles. Unlike the first film in the franchise, Glass Onion doesn't peel away the layers of mystery in the first 15 minutes—Knives Out unfortunately didn't save any suspense for the second act, instead framing the film more as a character study without the proper pacing to support it. The plot is intelligent and sharp, with a tasteful amount of contemporary social discourse and a so-so attempt at integrating the COVID-19 pandemic into the Knives Out Cinematic Universe… ultimately, the deception, biting satire, and custom cocktails (oh my!) craft a so-so streaming experience.
I enjoyed Glass Onion more than its predecessor (and not just because Craig is more palatable this time), but it isn’t without its faults. We jump the shark before the finale, leaving a result that I personally find a little far-fetched and sloppy. Character development is spread thin among the suspects, with some of them barely getting more than a few memorable lines in before the action picks up. It was (what’s her name), in the billiard room, with the… Academy Award nomination? Unlikely, but Craig will most certainly leave you shaken (not stirred).
Glass Onion premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it landed 2nd Runner-up for the People’s Choice Award (Toronto’s top prize). It can now be streamed on Netflix.
After Watching:
Janelle Monáe steals the spotlight, playing both Andi and Helen with distinct panache. Her performance is subtle yet emotive, grounding an ensemble cast that occasionally comes across as cartoonish. She’s also the perfect counterpart for Craig’s Kentucky Fried grandeur, and a terrific Wozniak to Norton’s Jobs. Other star power staples (especially Hahn and Odom) go to waste in one-dimensional characters.
Glass Onion is full of enough quippy pop culture references and clever details to keep the tempo flowing, with an impressively expanded presence compared to Johnson’s prior A-list hit. Unfortunately, the plot’s momentum was diced by the mid-act doubling back, taking way too much time away from the action to reveal Helen’s plan. That momentum is only regained for a few scenes before the big reveal initiates a (literal) firestorm, with a conclusion so dramatic and incongruous it baffles the mind—the fact that nobody is seriously injured and that Miles (already an admitted murderer) lets everyone leave in one piece isn’t chopped finely enough for me to swallow.
Don’t get me wrong, Glass Onion is a good watch. If you need a fun flick to stream in this mindless period between Christmas and New Year’s, sleuth no further. Johnson keeps a strict rhythm, and the story is intriguing beyond your average blockbuster. As the Beatles say, looking through a glass onion will show you “how the other half live”—especially if the other half is an insufferable tech bro.