Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Review & Franchise Summary

My colleague and I were both eager to review this one and I'm happy to announce that I won the non-prize contest, but it was fun however to watch and review the third instalment of the amazing Knives Out franchise.

Before we get to the latest, I will cover the other two movies before the third. If you want to move straight to the review of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, then scroll down to find it right before the wrap up.

Knives Out ( 2019 )

One of the most visually stunning movies I have seen to date, directed by Rian Johnson. It is something that you can watch on a cold winter morning curled up with a warm blanket and cup of hot beverage like cardamom tea of filter coffee.

The Plot of Knives Out

Knives Out starts out really slow and keeps the flame of mystery burning steadily like a good Cuban Cigar lit by an open flame. But its not dark and morbid, in fact its subtle humor is downright delightful, even if it takes some time to wash over you.

Benoit Blanc is a renowned detective in this movie's universe with a French name and a Southern accent. Blanc starts off just observing at first, gets his bearings on the case at hand and only then does he move to speak.

Christopher Plummer plays Harlan Thrombey, a famed novelist with a vast fortune in both cash and Intellectual Property in the form of his bestselling novels. He of course has a large family of children and grandchildren, most if not all entitled and definitely all of them spoilt rotten.

Harlan Thrombey places his sole trust in his own intellect and his caretaker Marta Cabrera when it comes to matters of his daily life, but when Harlan kills himself ( allegedly ) the large entitled family transform into vultures when a lawyer turns up for a will reading.

The plot kicks off in a spectacular fashion with Blanc going about his roundabout manner of uncovering what had transpired and if there was anyone guilt of any crime.

The Cast

A massive reason why this works is because Rian Johnson found just the right eclectic mix of cast members to make this murder mystery something that can't be easily duplicated.

You see Chris Evans in perfect form as the spoilt rich kid Ransom Drysdale the nuances of which never translated to his performances as Captain America in the MCU.

Michael Shannon plays Walton Thrombey, the lost son of Harlan who likes to leech off his father in every way possible. Shannon is comedic, menacing and insufferable at separate times in the movie with each aspect being equally delectable.

Jamie Lee Curtis plays the role of Linda Drysdale so well that you forget her versatility as an actor and think she's just being herself. She is dad's darling and someone who is not totally beyond redemption as person.

Don Johnson plays Richard, the easy to hate husband of Linda, who has major beef with Walton and they even have somewhat of a physical fight that is comical as hell.

But the star in this movie is Ana De Armas as the caretaker and of course Craig's Blanc who share amazing chemistry on-screen with the cast.

Cinematography and Background Score

The color palette employed in storytelling plays a huge part in making this movie more enjoyable. There is an old creaky gothic as hell mansion, fog in almost every season and you can almost feel the cold emanating from the screen, the way the cinematographer has portrayed it.

There is piano music in the background score, which accents the visuals nicely and also is appropriate since the main character Harlan is an actual murder mystery novelist. There are meta props in the movie which I thought were awesome. All of these have been woven into a beautiful fabric of thrilling mystery that is just brilliant.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery ( 2022 )

A worthy sequel to a movie that I believe will never be duplicated, Glass Onion does justice to the original in terms of its unusual cast ensemble, plot complexity ( almost ) and fun cinematography. What it has in addition is of course fun cameos that run through the length of the movie and add brilliantly to the whole thing.

The Plot

A tech entrepreneur's weekend getaway on his private island turns into a murder mystery when Benoit Blanc crashes it with an invitation to the party from an unknown source. What follows is a non-linear storytelling experience that is highly entertaining.

You get to know that Benoit Blanc is gay and is equally appealing to both genders as he manages to pull Hugh Grant as his partner. The movie is set in the time of COVID even though it was released in 2022, therefore there are a lot of references to COVID trending hobbies such as Among Us, Zoom sessions and tie-dying clothes.

The Cast

The ensemble includes Kate Hudson, Jessica Henwick ( Love and Monsters ) Dave Bautista, Madelyn Cline, Edward Norton at his annoying best, Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr. and of course the crown jewel Janelle Monáe who is at the center of this whole Glass Onion in more ways than one.

The cast's on-screen chemistry is amazing and adds so much to the storytelling and Blanc shows off his rebellious streak in not so subtle ways in this movie.

Just like the original, there are great slow motion sequences, good action and a hefty dose of suspense and mystery, as the name suggests. Of course one of the most interesting parts of the movie is Daniel Craig unravelling the mystery and having a ball doing it.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery ( 2025 )

The third instalment of Knives Out, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is great in terms of plot, good in terms of casting and pretty good in terms of execution.

The Plot

When a Catholic priest with a troubled past is transferred to a rural church from an urban one, things go south fast after the existing preacher is murdered by someone. Enter Benoit Blanc with a new hairstyle, sharper look and the same well-known nose for murder.

With time, the murder mystery deepens and people of the congregation get more entangled in the web of conspiracy that is the death of the senior Pastor. All except Benoit Blanc of-course. People in the congregation start pointing at and suspecting each other and everyone they don't know as well.

Rian Johnson has definitely stepped things up in terms of weaving a beautifully intricate plot that could only be unravelled by Craig or anyone who's read the full script.

The Cast

Jeremy Renner takes up the role of a cuckold-y, henpecked, loser of a man which I'm sure Renner would have had a lot of fun playing. If you ask him how is this role different from Hawkeye then you will probably get your answer in the form of a right cross or a left hook.

Glenn Close is still so agile as an actor, playing the loyal follower of an unhinged priest, and loves to jump scare anyone who would fall for it, with or without realizing it.

Her expressions change on a dime, making us remember why she was chosen for the role she played in Fatal Attraction opposite Michael Douglas.

Daniel Craig's look is refreshed using just longer hair and also a younger version of his flawless suits and clothing. He plays the role of the world's most famous fictional detective with great ease in this third mystery.

Josh Brolin plays a Pastor in this movie, and a rough one at that. He maintain a minimal flock of followers and expels anyone who is tries to join that core group. He is loud, irrational, angry and does not hold back anything when it comes to expressing his disapproval of something.

One of the inspectors Noah Segan as Nikolai from the original is there in this, and he reminds me of Oliver Hudson as Harley in Happy Gilmore 2 with an identical handlebar moustache.

Mila Kunis plays the part of a policewoman really well here. Her role is small but well placed and definitely well acted.

A religious touch to this instalment is welcome and refreshing. This is because religion is used as a conduit for storytelling to highlight doing the right thing and not getting hung up on the details.

Also it is interesting to see Blanc's benevolent side thriving and continuing to develop regardless of his religious beliefs or standing.

Should You Watch These Movies? Hell Yes!

Start with the first one though, that is the awesome original murder mystery that started it all, and I think it is still the best one yet.