Few deals in recent film history are as eye-popping as Netflix’s $450 million purchase of the rights to two Knives Out sequels. The 2019 original proved there was a strong appetite for old-fashioned mysteries, becoming both a box office triumph and a genuine surprise. For a company still lacking an in-house cinematic franchise, it made sense to trust writer-director Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig to keep subscribers engaged and coming back. That put the pressure firmly on Johnson. Like Christie, he needed to find ways to refresh the formula through new settings and structures, while keeping people coming back to similar whodunit mysteries. Unlike Christie, he had to do so in a marketplace crowded with competition and an audience that grows tired very quickly, where a simple case of the week would not last long.
Johnson pulled it off with Glass Onion. That film expanded on the original with a new tone, a sharper critique of tech culture, a new set of memorable suspects, and a structure that kept audiences off balance. Even more importantly, it gave us glimpses of Blanc’s private life, making him feel like a character worth following across cases. These touches pushed the franchise forward, and if the film has not endured as strongly as it deserved, that is more the fault of Netflix’s limited release window than the work itself.
With Wake Up Dead Man, Johnson brings the case to a new setting: the fictional small town of Chimney Rock and its solemn, atmospheric Catholic church. The film leans into a gothic mood, with shades of Edgar Allan Poe and even subtle brushes of horror, opening the door to themes of faith, priests, and religious power. Despite the potential of that setting, however, Johnson seems more focused on the mechanics of the mystery. Themes of human greed, religious manipulation, and the weaponizing of preaching on social media are present and smartly woven in, but never with the bite or precision of the first two films, making this easily the least rich of the trilogy.
The good news is that Johnson is still fantastic at his craft. His script is sharp, filled with memorable one-liners and clever dialogue. The mystery itself is cleverly mounted and polished, offering the expected “how did I miss that?” or “I knew it!” moments, and it all looks superb, with Netflix once again providing a generous budget. There is no denying we are watching the work of a great artist who puts immense care into his material.
He also shows great intelligence in shaping the new co-protagonist, played this time by Josh O’Connor after Ana de Armas and Janelle Monáe before him. Making full use of O’Connor’s growing abilities as a performer, the surrogate character once again becomes the highlight and the most engaging presence in the series. Reverend Jud Duplenticy’s doubts about the church and his struggle with inner demons give the story its strongest emotional notes.
The church at the center creates a larger, imposing atmosphere that serves the film extremely well. Johnson, like Branagh on his third Poirot outing, uses the opportunity to introduce horror flourishes and heightened style, both of which are extremely memorable, even if they could have been pushed further. Less memorable, however, are the suspects, who are far less distinctive and fun, with a diminished presence in the story. The casting also misses the mark this time, with Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and Cailee Spaeny all feeling miscast and underutilized, rarely sharing ensemble scenes—though the few we get are strong. The standout is Josh Brolin, delivering what feels like his best Jeff Bridges impression.
Disappointingly, there are also issues with Blanc himself, who is not given the same progression as before. We do not see him outside the setting, and the character does not truly move forward. At one point he claims he has, but his actions remain aligned with what we already know. Craig is still beyond fantastic in the role, perhaps the best of his career, delivering dry wit and humor with ease. His disdain for the church and for God is hilarious and fits what we know of him. Yet given the setting, this could have been an opportunity for Blanc to embark on a more internal journey, even a subtle one, and question his reliance on intuition. The film shows little interest in exploring those possibilities.
The pacing is also less precise. The previous two films deserved Oscar nominations for Best Editing, with their creative flashback structures and repetitions that still left room to connect with the ensemble. Instead, much of the focus falls on Blanc and Rev. Jud Duplenticy retracing the murder. This middle stretch feels specially slow and even gave me time to stop, think, and ultimately crack the case before the reveal.
Technically, the film is impeccable. The production design is impressive, and the music once again sets the mood, even if it still does not deliver the memorable theme the franchise deserves. Wake Up Dead Man is a solid franchise expansion, but unlike the first two, it does not leave us eager for more once it’s done.
Still, Johnson is one of the most assured directors working today, and even when not at his sharpest, his work remains fascinating. The result here is a highly competent mystery that entertains and surprises, but lacks the layered character work and thematic weight that made the first two so strong. As a society, we still need Johnson and Craig to return for at least three more of these, but hopefully with a renewed focus on richer suspects, stronger discussions, and pushing Blanc somewhere new. That balance is what elevated Knives Out and Glass Onion beyond being just clever puzzles.
This is part of Reviews On Reels TIFF 2025 Coverage. Due to the hectic rhythm of a film festival, it may be tweaked in the future.
Still courtesy of TIFF and Netflix