When “Knives Out” was first released in 2017, it was a Hollywood anomaly: an original film that was whip-smart, brilliantly designed and with legitimate franchise potential. In 2021, the film’s old school sensibilities were brought into the streaming age when Netflix bought the rights to two sequels. The first of those was 2022’s “Glass Onion,” a film that kept the charm of “Knives Out,” but lost some of its filmic sensibilities. The second sequel, “Wake Up Dead Man,” releases on Netflix on Dec. 12 after a limited theatrical run and is easily the best of the bunch.
While “Glass Onion” portrayed an opulent summer setting, “Dead Man” brings the franchise back to its more gothic roots. In the film, Father Jud finds himself placed at a parish under the control of a rigid, fire-and-brimstone pastor, Monsignor Wicks. When Wicks dies under impossible circumstances, Father Jud is thrown into a mystery that can only be solved by one man: the flamboyant and clever Benoit Blanc, whose now-familiar southern drawl connects the otherwise anthology-based franchise.
What follows this premise is a murder mystery with so many twists and turns it is hard to keep count. In “Wake Up Dead Man,” every line matters, every clue is hidden in plain sight and nothing can be taken for granted.
The script by writer-director Rian Johnson is more than just a satisfying mystery. The “Knives Out” films have always been sources of often-blatant political commentary, and this entry is no different. Here, the chosen casualty is the intersection between religion and politics. Characters list off divisive issues they have tried to use to inspire fear; Wicks decries the “Marxists” who are trying to destroy the Catholic Church, while Jud takes a more sympathetic approach. None of this is subtle, but it is brisk, comedic and effective.
As the story unfolds, however, its themes gain nuance. Jud is a genuinely loyal priest, and a strong foil to the hardline atheist Blanc, who finds his clinical means of mystery solving tested throughout the film.
In “Knives Out” and “Glass Onion,” the audience was often meant to sneer at the film’s rich, entitled villains. “Wake Up Dead Man,” in keeping with its religious themes, takes a more sympathetic approach. Almost every character, even the most wicked, is given grace, which is a result of Father Jud’s insistence that the Church serves as a haven for the wicked and broken.
This smart script is boosted by strong performances. Hot off his success in “Challengers,” Josh O’Connor fills the role of a struggling but well-intentioned priest with an earnest charm. It is a testament to O’Connor’s charisma that Blanc does not appear for nearly an hour and the film does not suffer for it. When Benoit Blanc does appear, once again portrayed by Daniel Craig, the actor revels in the character’s familiar flamboyant mannerisms. Delivered with equal precision are the surprisingly intimate moments the character has this go-around.
The remainder of the ensemble (including Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin and more) effectively pull off both dramatic and comedic moments. Of particular note is Glenn Close as Martha, the parish’s steely unpaid help. Close wears the character’s inner-religious tension and shame on her face and can be both warm and frightening.
“Wake Up Dead Man” is also Johnson’s best directorial work so far. Johnson is once again joined by cinematographer Steve Yedlin and the film’s gothic, small-town setting gives the pair much to work with. Throughout the movie, Yedlin paints the screen with orange hues and thick rays of light– an allusion to the film’s divine subject matter. From a woman ripping open a church’s door backlit by a blood-red moon to a simple shot of Blanc leaving the parish at the film’s conclusion, “Wake Up Dead Man” is as much a painting as a film.
“Wake Up Dead Man” drops on Netflix on Dec. 12, and it is easy to recommend to the numerous families who will want to watch it over the holidays. But it is also hard to deny that “Wake Up Dead Man” is not standard streaming fare. Its script balances a compelling mystery with nuanced themes and character moments. The performances, especially by leads Josh O’Connor and Daniel Craig, are instantly believable. Moreover, the direction and cinematography make this the best-looking film in the trilogy.
“Wake Up Dead Man” exceeds expectations with its quality, but it remains disappointing that very few will be able to see it on the big screen where it belongs.
