Glass Onion
In 2019 Rian Johnson’s KNIVES OUT proved that the murder-mystery genre still has some juice. The hilarious and twisty whodunit featured an all-star cast, lead by the dynamic Daniel Craig as the impossibly fastidious and clever detective Benoit Blanc.
The film earned Johnson an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay and Craig earned a Golden Glob nod for his incredible performance.
In December, Johnson went back to the KNIVES OUT world with a whole new mystery entitled GLASS ONION. Debuting in a limited theatrical run, it was released on Netflix just before Christmas. Unlike a typical sequel, this isn’t a continuation of the story we saw in the original. Instead, it’s an entirely new, sordid tale featuring a brand new cast with the exception of Craig who returns as Blanc.
When friends Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom, Jr.), Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), and Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) receive a mystery box in the mail from their eccentric billionaire pal Miles Bron (Edward Norton) they call each other on the phone and soon realize that the package is an elaborate puzzle. They work together to figure out the clues, each using a unique skillset (and with a little help from Yo Yo Ma) to solve a particular aspect of the game, until they get to the prize inside; an invitation for the weekend to Bron’s private island to play along in a murder-mystery game.
Also receiving the box is Andi Brand (Janelle Monae) and detective Benoit Blanc. Rather than spending a single moment indulging in Bron’s shenanigans, Andi takes a hammer to the box and retrieves her invitation. Blanc, meanwhile, has isolated himself in his bathtub, suffering through the COVID pandemic and desperately wishing for a case. Though a game hosted by a billionaire is not exactly what he had been hoping for, there was no chance he was passing up on the opportunity.
Once the crew arrives on Bron’s Greek Island the game begins. Bron is the type of self-indulgent narcissist that constantly tries to sound smarter than he is, and basks in the adoration of his guests. Everyone is elated to see him with the exception of Andi, who we quickly learn was his former business partner before they had a cataclysmic falling out.
Much like KNIVES OUT, the greatness of GLASS ONION is the fact that everything that happens is for a reason. Lines of dialogue and set pieces are just as important as what is happening in the background. Some breadcrumbs are obvious, while others only reveal themselves as the film progresses. Johnson effectively plays with timelines, flashing back throughout the film to show us what we missed along the way while also revealing more with extended looks at previously seen moments. 
Bron has meticulously planned the entire weekend, but is genuinely confused as to why Blanc arrived on the island. He never sent Benoit the box, yet having the world’s greatest detective play along in his game is far too tempting to dismiss. Blanc is the only one that is not a part of the tight-knit group who, as it turns out (with the exception of Andi) is reliant on Blanc to keep their careers afloat. In some capacity, the billionaire owns each and every one of them, and could destroy their lives without a second thought.
Much like in KNIVES OUT, the cast of GLASS ONION is spectacular, each delivering a great performance as a uniquely flawed character. Throughout the production, secrets and layers are revealed, highlighting the fact that no-one there is who they appear to be. This includes Birdie’s assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick) and Duke’s girlfriend Whisky (Madelyn Cline) who may have not been explicitly invited, but each have a role to play. And of course, lest we forget Derol (Noah Segan), the happy-go-lucky hanger-on who “isn’t really there.” His presence is a random running gag (one of many) but who always makes us wonder, could there be more to his existence than we expect? Much like its predecessor, GLASS ONION proves that Johnson can deliver a massively entertaining yarn that is as twisty as it is fun. 
KNIVES OUT: GLASS ONION: B+
