The Knives Out films on Netflix are time-passers about the world we inhabit that is revealed to us by the ones who have left it – and not of their own will.
A murder or two has provided franchise creator Rian Johnson with the excuse to skewer inequality, entitlement and injustice. Big on A-list stars but low on rigour, and not as clever as they think they are, the films nevertheless sashay by on topicality, wit and Daniel Craig’s eccentric detective Benoit Blanc.
The third instalment in the series shares these traits, but has a little extra something too – soulfulness. Fittingly, Wake Up Dead Man revolves around a Catholic church.
The messianic priest Jefferson (Josh Brolin) runs the Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude church with an iron hand, even though his flock is small enough to fit into his living room. When Jefferson dies during a sermon, his recently hired junior priest is the first suspect.
Jud (Josh O’Connor) has already been alerted to the strange ways of Jefferson, the groundskeeper Samson (Thomas Haden Church) and the devoted parishioners – Martha (Glenn Close), Nat (Jeremy Renner), Vera (Kerry Washington), Lee (Andrew Scott) and Simone (Cailee Spaeny), Cy (Daryl McCormack). Jud’s personal crisis of faith isn’t helped by the hardline beliefs of Jefferson and some of his followers.
Local police officer Geraldine (Mila Kunis) rings Benoit Blanc for help. Blanc’s investigation points to one of the oldest motives for murder as well as a transcendent reason behind Jefferson’s demise.
The new film, which is out on Netflix, is less crowded and showy than the previous instalments. A deeper character study is possible this time, which benefits Josh O’Connor’s excellent pugilist-turned-priest the most. One of the most exciting young actors around, O’Connor has so much of the 144-minute movie to himself before Benoit Blanc shows up that he upstages Daniel Craig in several scenes.
Even after the suspense over the motive for Jefferson’s killing has dissipated, Rian Johnson has fun stretching out the modus operandi. It’s ultimately down to dazzling guesswork on the part of Benoit Blanc, with some help from the light above in heaven.
The franchise is a self-declared tribute to Agatha Christie, but is still awaiting a mystery that will work entirely on its own, without political themes or the distractions provided by big-name actors. By delving into spiritual questions about sin, guilt and absolution, Wake Up Dead Man redeems itself.
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