World-famous Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back in action. He’s been called to Greece to partake in a murder mystery weekend among friends–but there’s one issue, no one is actually supposed to die. When one of the group ends up dead, Benoit is tasked with solving yet another crime–and this may just be his most challenging yet. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is Rian Johnson’s next big thing, and it has the potential to be his greatest work yet.
The landscape, scenery, and overall set present throughout Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are stunning, and they create this sense of everything present in the film being larger than life. From traveling the world to having dinner parties in something called the Glass Onion, a massive, gorgeous structure worth billions–this film transports viewers around the world to the most fantastic places. As we find ourselves thrown into these larger-than-live places, into this world of obscenities (in the sense that they seem fully out of reach)–we become fully engulfed in the lives of these equally massive individuals. Nearly everything starts with the setting; it creates the story, bolsters the characters, and it allows viewers to see all that is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The series of location managers find nothing short of perfection, and their hard work pays dividends in the end, as all that they bring to the table works as the catalyst for the rest of the film.
Johnson plays with words incredibly well throughout Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. For those of you that don’t know, I love language–I love learning about etymology and I like being able to play with and manipulate words to create new meaning, and that’s exactly what Johnson does. His command of the English language is inspiring, entertaining, and just downright impressive. The film itself is witty, and it requires a certain level of intellect in order to develop it–but the use of language adds another level, it adds another piece to this already incredible puzzle.
Benoit Blanc may just be one of the most interesting characters ever. He’s charismatic, passionate, hilarious, innocent, genius. This, again, comes down to the writing of Johnson. He creates a character that, at his core, is as moral as any character the world has ever seen–but he has a rough side, one that’s willing to blur the line between morality and justice. Seeing his character develop in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, in a different way than in Knives Out, viewers fall more and more in love with him. Benoit is multidimensional, and while, again, Johnson is the reason he exists, Craig’s ability to bring him to life in this fashion makes the film. Craig is best known for his role as 007; buff, burly, badass. He finds a new space in cinema here, helping to develop a character with each and every one of those aforementioned qualities, and he comes to life brilliantly–blended together just the right amount. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery keeps viewers on their toes throughout, and a big reason for that is the combination of Johnson and Craig developing this incredible character.
The writing is some of the best I’ve ever seen, and Johnson has solidified himself as one of Hollywood’s premier talents both in the director’s chair and in the writing room. He’s outdone himself once again, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is even one step better than its predecessor. From setting to cinematography and acting to writing, everything is spectacular, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery has it all; it’s one of the best films of the year.
Written & Directed by Rian Johnson.
Starring Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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