“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” Review
Daniel Craig is back as the greatest detective in the world, Benoit Blanc, for maybe his most wild mystery ever.
Yes, this is a Netflix movie, but that did not take away from the production value of the movie. The sets looked great, the costumes were good for what they were trying to be, and the music and sound effects kept the viewer engulfed throughout the whole two hour and twenty-minute runtime.
That runtime was something I was worried about going into the movie. Sometimes a movie just goes on for fifteen minutes too long and it loses steam towards the end, or it’s too worried about keeping the short attention span of today’s theater goers and gets cut too short. However, Rian Johnson knows how to draw in an audience. It’s something he’s done throughout his whole career. Whether it’s a murder mystery, a sci-fi thriller like “Looper,” or creating one of the most divisive movies in the “Star Wars” franchise, Johnson hooks whoever is watching what he’s making.
So far, I believe the “Knives Out” series closely resembles the “Indiana Jones” series. Both started off relatively grounded, with enough room to grow, and each installment just builds and builds. Like “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade,” “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” truly tests the audience on how far they’re willing to go. This movie is unapologetically goofy, and so many of its jokes land.
Despite the goofiness being well done, the messaging was too right in your face. What the movie basically says is charismatic leaders are dangerous, which is true, and the lust for money and power will destroy everything. Brolin’s character, Jefferson Wicks, leads his church down to the gutter as his hate and guilt-tripping of others destroys the church. However, his charisma is enough to keep the radicals from abandoning him. Does that sound familiar at all? Despite the messaging being true, the satire about it became too much for me at one point. One movie page I follow on Instagram, @moviemattk, said it perfectly in their review: “If they flashed “Trump bad” on the screen I think my audience would have lost their mind in ecstasy.” While it is funny at first, I think a lot of people would prefer a more nuanced and subtle approach.
It's unfortunate because so much of the movie is subtle - that’s the whole point of a “who done it?” movie. Now I’m sure there are clues that I did not pick up on that I might see if I ever decide to rewatch this movie. When I walked into the theater, I knew who had a hand in the murder, and my theory is quite simple. In every one of the “Knives Out” movies, the killer is always the most famous actor not named Daniel Craig. From Chris Evans to Edward Norton and now to this movie, the theory reigns true. Because of that, I sat back and enjoyed myself.
The messaging got to me for a bit, but other than that, this movie is awesome. It’s full of energy, it’s fun, and it never lets you leave the edge of your seat. If you have the opportunity, go see this when it is in theaters, but if you can’t, this is the perfect family watch over the holiday. For all of that, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” earns an A- score.
In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” Benoit Blanc investigates the murder of a charismatic and polarizing priest, Jefferson Wicks. Through twists and turns, the third installment of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” series will have you at the edge of your seat.
Similar to all other movies in the series, “Wake Up Dead Man” has a star-studded cast including Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis and Josh Brolin. The “who done it?” style of movies are never ones that need phenomenal performances for cast members, but Craig and O’Connor have great chemistry on screen, and Brolin shines in every scene as Jefferson Wicks. Craig and O’Connor are partners, but they are very much against each other. Craig plays the famous detective and noted heretic, while O’Connor is just trying to be the best priest he can be during a time of crisis in a small town. Each actor had such a good time while making this movie, and it’s clear and obvious from the kinds of performances they all give.
Similar to all other movies in the series, “Wake Up Dead Man” has a star-studded cast including Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis and Josh Brolin. The “who done it?” style of movies are never ones that need phenomenal performances for cast members, but Craig and O’Connor have great chemistry on screen, and Brolin shines in every scene as Jefferson Wicks. Craig and O’Connor are partners, but they are very much against each other. Craig plays the famous detective and noted heretic, while O’Connor is just trying to be the best priest he can be during a time of crisis in a small town. Each actor had such a good time while making this movie, and it’s clear and obvious from the kinds of performances they all give.
Yes, this is a Netflix movie, but that did not take away from the production value of the movie. The sets looked great, the costumes were good for what they were trying to be, and the music and sound effects kept the viewer engulfed throughout the whole two hour and twenty-minute runtime.
That runtime was something I was worried about going into the movie. Sometimes a movie just goes on for fifteen minutes too long and it loses steam towards the end, or it’s too worried about keeping the short attention span of today’s theater goers and gets cut too short. However, Rian Johnson knows how to draw in an audience. It’s something he’s done throughout his whole career. Whether it’s a murder mystery, a sci-fi thriller like “Looper,” or creating one of the most divisive movies in the “Star Wars” franchise, Johnson hooks whoever is watching what he’s making.
So far, I believe the “Knives Out” series closely resembles the “Indiana Jones” series. Both started off relatively grounded, with enough room to grow, and each installment just builds and builds. Like “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade,” “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” truly tests the audience on how far they’re willing to go. This movie is unapologetically goofy, and so many of its jokes land.
Despite the goofiness being well done, the messaging was too right in your face. What the movie basically says is charismatic leaders are dangerous, which is true, and the lust for money and power will destroy everything. Brolin’s character, Jefferson Wicks, leads his church down to the gutter as his hate and guilt-tripping of others destroys the church. However, his charisma is enough to keep the radicals from abandoning him. Does that sound familiar at all? Despite the messaging being true, the satire about it became too much for me at one point. One movie page I follow on Instagram, @moviemattk, said it perfectly in their review: “If they flashed “Trump bad” on the screen I think my audience would have lost their mind in ecstasy.” While it is funny at first, I think a lot of people would prefer a more nuanced and subtle approach.
It's unfortunate because so much of the movie is subtle - that’s the whole point of a “who done it?” movie. Now I’m sure there are clues that I did not pick up on that I might see if I ever decide to rewatch this movie. When I walked into the theater, I knew who had a hand in the murder, and my theory is quite simple. In every one of the “Knives Out” movies, the killer is always the most famous actor not named Daniel Craig. From Chris Evans to Edward Norton and now to this movie, the theory reigns true. Because of that, I sat back and enjoyed myself.
The messaging got to me for a bit, but other than that, this movie is awesome. It’s full of energy, it’s fun, and it never lets you leave the edge of your seat. If you have the opportunity, go see this when it is in theaters, but if you can’t, this is the perfect family watch over the holiday. For all of that, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” earns an A- score.
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