"Glass Onion" - Netflix Film Review
Glass Onion is Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his surprise murder mystery hit of 2019, Knives Out. World-renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns, but when the audience first gets a glimpse of him, Benoit is far from the distinguished gentleman he once was. It’s May 2020, and Benoit is playing video games in his bathtub like so many of us were in the early days of the Covid quarantine. A mysterious box of puzzles arrives from tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), inviting Benoit to a murder mystery party on a private Greek island.
Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
Benoit is not the only one invited who elects to partake. Bron has invited all of his closest friends to the island: a former supermodel (Kate Hudson) and her assistant (Jessica Henwick), a governor running for Senate (Kathryn Hahn), a Twitch streamer (Dave Bautista) and his girlfriend (Madelyn Cline), the head scientist at Miles’ company (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Miles’ scorned ex-business partner (Janelle Monáe). What starts as fun and games becomes an actual murder mystery. Long-held secrets come to light among the group of friends as they try to stay alive through the night.
Unlike Knives Out, Benoit is not in complete command of the situation. It’s fun to see Craig play the fish-out-of-water character amid some of the worst rich people in the world. To most filmgoers, Craig has built his career on playing the buttoned-up James Bond, but he’s at his best with a goofy southern drawl solving mysteries. This is where he thrives, in his linen suits, walking around, exclaiming “shitballs!”
Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
Glass Onion’s cast of murder suspects is vastly more enjoyable than its predecessor’s. Whether scaled down by Covid restrictions or just a choice on Johnson’s part, the smaller group works particularly well. More time is alloted to explaining each person’s potential motive and how their pasts are intertwined. It also affords the opportunity for a topsy-turvy twist at the midway point that elevates the mystery to new heights. It’s a clear improvement on the first film and proof that Johnson and Craig can take this concept anywhere they want to.
Johnson has created a detective who is on par with Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. He has already sold the rights to a third Knives Out Mystery to Netflix, so we know another is on the horizon. Unlike other franchises that seemingly stick around far longer than they’re welcome, the mysteries of Benoit Blanc have the potential to delight for years to come.
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