A Review of “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
Rian Johnson has done it again. By producing a uniquely relatable social work dedicated to the pandemic and the American political climate of 2020, Johnson’s second edition to the “Knives Out” franchise is a cinematic masterpiece.
Intertwined with mystery and a healthy dose of comedic stereotypes, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” provides its viewers with the same escapism from reality that its characters receive on the island they find themselves on.
Weaponized with a star-studded cast, Johnson portrays quarantine’s mental and social hardships on individuals of all classes and backgrounds — finishing with an unexpected ending that is reminiscent of the murderous tales penned by the “Queen of Mystery” Agatha Christie.
An eclectic billionaire, Miles Bron (Edward Norton), sends an elaborate box of children’s games to seven “friends,” inviting them to a secluded island to solve his murder. It all appears to be a fun escape from the harsh realities of the world until two unexpected guests arrive: famous private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) and Bron’s ex-business partner, Cassandra Brand (Janelle Monet). While trying to deduce who sent him a box, Blanc learns “family secrets” that unveil a plausible cause for a murder.
With his unique Bronx-meets-Georgia southern accent, Craig does a beautiful job playing the tortured intellectual who needs the undertaking of a good case to escape his pandemic-induced isolation. Unlike the original “Knives Out,” most of the cast receives their own time to shine, with special emphasis on resident government official Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn) and former model and business tycoon Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson).
“Glass Onion” spares no expense at killing off your favorite characters (or at least attempting to). It seemed that every time I fell in love with a character, Johnson eliminated them, reminiscent of of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”
There are several parallels between the two storylines that are hard to ignore. A world-famous detective finds himself fighting against time to solve an unexpected murder before any of the other participants (or passengers) can strike again, which has potential to feel repetitive to viewers.
Even the editing and camera angles of the movie adaptions to Christie’s classics showcase strong similarities to the “Glass Onion”, including excessive use of panoramic shots to reveal emotion and visible clues that are explained later in the film. While the similarities are glaring, the differences make “Glass Onion” one of the best of its genre.
The film expertly creates the feeling of looking at your left hand without knowing what your right hand is doing. The story is driven by plot twists that seemingly diverge from its origin, while subtly revealing clues necessary to solve the case. Johnson, Monet and Craig portray elaborate and effective character arcs that challenge the traditional ideals of television detectives and mystery movies.
Ultimately, the movie’s explosive ending sums up the film’s entire premise. Corruption always takes root from the inside and must be extracted before it grows into something uncontrollable. It can appear in surprisingly painful ways, but the results of neglecting corruption’s seeds must be avoided by uprooting them from the source.
When the film concludes, you are left with an introspective look at today’s leaders and find the social message precise: Always suspect the unexpected and never lose hope in what you can achieve before sunrise.
Merritt is the arts and culture editor for the Liberty Champion.