‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ Review: A Chilling Refresh for Rian Johnson’s Franchise

After Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out became a surprise hit in 2019, there’s been a resurgence in mystery stories. With a three-year wait between each Knives Out entry, audiences are clamoring for more whodunnits to keep them entertained. Thankfully, there is no shortage of them from Only Murders in the Building to Johnson’s other detective project, Poker Face. And now Daniel Craig is back as the intrepid Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, featuring a murder that might seem impossible for him to solve.

As to be expected with the Knives Out films, a star-studded cast is on the suspect list for Blanc’s latest adventure. Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormack, Mila Kunis, and Thomas Haden Church are along for the ride, but is their star power enough to have audiences invested in their characters? Is it time for Johnson to put this gimmick to bed and sharpen his storytelling? Read on to uncover this mystery.

Josh O’Connor Is Godly in ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

Craig as Benoit Blanc remains an entertaining part of Wake Up Dead Man with his quick wit and ability to command a room, but it’s O’Connor who steals the show from the rest of his castmates. His character, Reverend Jud Duplenticy, is given the most depth, even more than Blanc. O’Connor brings a level of energy that ranges from welcoming and caring to dangerous and unpredictable. After his breakout role in Luca Guadagnino‘s Challengers, O’Connor continues to prove that he can tackle such complex characters with nuance.

While Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery gave audiences a peek at Blanc’s home life, Wake Up Dead Man limits the exploration of his character. Even his entrance in the film feels like he’s stumbled upon the mystery rather than actively pursuing it. Hopefully, the next film explores more of Blanc’s character and his past because Craig really does seem to have a lot of fun in the role, maybe even more than when he played James Bond.

Brolin and Close are runner-ups to O’Connor’s performance. Brolin brings such anger and intensity to the film, making it the darkest story of the franchise. When Craig commands a room as Blanc, it’s done with grace and respect. For Brolin, his character demands respect and will use the fear of God to gain support. Close, on the other hand, has a softer approach. From her first appearance in the film, her character is hilarious, kind, and devoted to her beliefs.

‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Doesn’t Reach the Highs of ‘Knives Out’

However, Wake Up Dead Man doesn’t give audiences enough depth with the other characters. Besides Craig, O’Connor, Brolin, and Close, the rest of the cast are just there to be suspects rather than three-dimensional characters with compelling motivations. As much as one of the big draws for the Knives Out films is an A-list cast, Wake Up Dead Man shows signs that it’s starting to get dull; it’s a waste not to utilize these actors’ potential or give them material to make their characters remotely interesting.

On the other hand, the mystery itself is the most intriguing of all the films. Presented as an impossible case, it immediately draws audiences in to pay close attention to every scene and line of dialogue. Although some character work may need sharpening, Johnson still delivers a clever mystery where the “how” is more interesting than the “who” in a whodunnit story.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will be released in select theaters on November 26 and available on Netflix starting December 12. Follow Agents of Fandom on socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.