Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

It surprised me that the sequel to one of the most entertaining detective stories of recent years was sent straight to Netflix by Rian Johnson. But I understand that when it comes to choosing between cinema and VOD service today, money plays a big role. However, this film is finally a piece that won't embarrass Netflix. Finally! It is true that the quality did not captivate me as much as the first part, which was able to surprise with its detective quality. The viewer already has some expectations and knows that they can truly look forward to Daniel Craig and his new role as detective Benoit Blanc. He won't disappoint. The problem lies with the expected overcomplication of the plot, its length, and some characters. But that is still overshadowed by the fact that I enjoyed myself. I would need a bigger surprise for five stars... something like the first part. (12/29/2022)

I never would have thought that Daniel Craig, after finishing his iconic role as James Bond, would find a franchise that suits him so well. But his character, the eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, along with the fresh directorial vision of Rian Johnson, is truly impressive. Compared to the first installment, everything is even more spectacular; just moving to a sunny island in the Aegean Sea has been a boon for the series. The performances are absolutely perfect, and I fell in love with every character (Edward Norton probably takes the lead :D). The screenplay is incredibly well-thought-out, the audiovisual aspects are flawless (with an excellent soundtrack), and the brilliant ending leaves you anything but indifferent. So, what could I possibly criticize? Perhaps just the excessive number of pop culture references and allusions. Even for me, there were too many (though Jeremy Renner’s spicy sauce joke was amusing). I need a third installment right now. In the realm of classic detective stories, this feels like a revelation. I give it 8.5/10. (02/15/2023)

Rian Johnson is boss! Glass Onion successfully continues to revive the rules of the old school of detective fiction, and Daniel Craig is still enjoying Benoît Blanc immensely. Naturally, you expect a moment of surprise and therefore anticipate some of the betrayals. The cast is interesting, but it’s certainly not as good as in the first film. Edward Norton revels in these roles and Kate Hudson is entertaining, the others rather support the well-written script. The Greek island setting, enlivened by hig-tech gimmicks and amenities (the non-smoking garden) and artwork, is as impressive as the Glass Onion itself. (12/25/2022)

I thoroughly enjoyed the first Knives Out because of the well-written story, great atmosphere, and Ana de Armas. This time, however, I was mainly faced with excessive running time, long, unnecessary explanations, and left-wing propaganda (and I'm not exactly wealthy capitalist myself). Plus, the finale played into the hands of all those crazy activists smearing mashed potatoes on works of art in galleries. This activity will soon solve all our planet's environmental problems. The main problem with the film was that it contained occasional moments that amused me, but desperately few for a movie with a running time longer than two hours. I'm not sure if Daniel Craig and Edward Norton portrayed characters influenced by COVID so well or if they were just tired. Most of the characters (if not all) lacked depth; the plot was sometimes boring and occasionally even irritating, so I'm obviously not impressed. / Lesson learned: An idiot in charge is not an unusual phenomenon. 3*-. (01/17/2023)

Rian Johnson plays with genre expectations in Glass Onion the same way he did in the first film, while staying true to classic whodunnit stories. If I were to take away the criticisms right from the start, I would have shortened the film, especially in the more drawn-out intro (which actually nicely parodied various CSIs and degraded the search for clues), and also the conclusion, which felt too drawn out after the culprit was revealed. The investigation itself, on the other hand (including the crucial flashback and starting with the wonderfully staged pre-murder sequence), completely captivated me and kept my (rusty) grey brain cells busy until the final denouement. Even in his second whodunit, which, among other things, shamelessly flatters Knox's Rule #10, Johnson certainly doesn't lose his breath, offering another suspenseful and unpredictable crime story with plenty of imaginative moments (whether it was the "casting" of Angela Lansbury, the character of Derola, Da Vinci's masterpiece or the ubiquitous gong). (12/31/2022)