Another wake up call for this whodunit franchise.
“Wake Up Dead Man” is the third entry of the “Knives Out” movies, and I have seen all three of them at the Chicago International Film Festival. Maybe I just wanted to say: “I’ve seen all three “Knives Out” movies at the Chicago Film Festival,” or maybe I just trust Rian Johnson’s judgement, especially since his Peacock howcatchem series “Poker Face” is one of the best shows I’ve seen.
“Wake Up Dead Man” is another entry of the franchise to find its place on Netflix’s schedule, but I think it’s more fun to see it in a theater with a bunch of people. As you know, I saw this in a movie theater, and there are going to be theatrical screenings this November. It’s fun to ease with the laughs and surprises. But this one is a little different, because it questions the faith of the characters and is able to distinguish their judgements.
In all three movies, Daniel Craig plays the detective Benoit Blanc, who has a Foghorn Leghorn accent and knows a good plot twist when he sees it. And all three movies allow the actor to deliver the zaniness and honesty that makes him worthy of being Hercule Poirot’s good friend. That is if any of these detectives can have any friends. Or they might be rivals. Who knows? But either way, Craig never tries to steal all the entries, and is generous enough to allow the new main actor to have his/her story to tell.
Blanc isn’t a church person, but he agrees to help prove the innocence of a young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), who is accused of murdering the old priest Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Reasons for the accusation include the kid being a boxer with a violent past and the fact that this priest is charismatic and domineering. He’s the kind of who would belittle others-some of whom would walk out of his sermons-and yet, he confesses to the younger priest that he masturbates a lot. So, that would also make him a hypocrite.
The movie’s new cast include Mila Kunis as the local sheriff Geraldine Scott, Glenn Close as Wick’s secretary Martha Delacroix, Jeremy Renner as the doctor Nat Sharp, Kerry Washington as the lawyer Vera Draven, Daryl McCormack as her adoptive YouTuber son Cy, Cailee Spaeny as the former cellist Simone, Thomas Haden Church as the groundskeeper Samson Holt, Andrew Scott as the struggling author Lee Ross, and Jeffrey Wright as the bishop Langstrom.
Most of the church’s attendees could also be labeled suspects, based on how Wicks treated them, and how their lives turned out. And whatever happens in the case might surprise you or it might not be what it seems, and I guess that’s part of the mystery genre.
The thing that makes these “Knives Out” movies so funny, daring, and surprising is their ingenuity. Each movie is able to try to deceive us, and we can guess that there’s a loophole to when certain things happen. It might get a little confusing towards the third act, but “Wake Up Dead Man” still knows what it’s doing. I’ve already delivered my appreciation for Craig, but we should also single out O’Connor, who is not only having a fine Fall season (with “The Mastermind” and “Rebuilding” in the mix), but also has the emotions and complications to make him a worthy character. And equally excellent supporting work also comes from Brolin and Close.
Johnson had suggested making more sequels, because he has a fun time making them, and he should have fun making them, because they have originality, daring, and comedy. But for now, “Wake Up Dead Man” is another worthy addition to this franchise, kudos to Johnson and his choice of actors, and I have faith in him.
In Select Theaters This Wednesday
Streaming on Netflix December 12
