Knives Out roared into cinema back in 2019 and proved, almost singlehandedly, that there was still life in not only the murder mystery genre, but original movies. While certainly inspired by the whodunnits of yesteryear, Rian Johnson's case brought such fresh life into cinema and helped salvage the very notion of "movies for adults who don't care for superheroes". Cemented further by Netflix's acquisition, where it paid an eye-watering $469 million for the rights to two Knives Out sequels, the first follow-up - Glass Onion - has a lot riding on it.
Detective Benoit Blanc receives a cryptic invitation to solve the mystery of a murder which has not yet happened, travelling to Greece to meet a new crop of would-be murderers. Johnson returns to write and direct alongside star Daniel Craig, joined for this mystery by Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hayn, Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick.
Knives Out captured lightning in a bottle: an immensely satisfying, smart and creative old-school studio feature rooted in the politics of the times. So sharp was its script and so surprising was its story that it seemed almost impossible for similar success to strike twice; fortified by a worrying change of circumstances - Netflix, not particularly well-known for their quality film output, were to take one of the most exciting theatre experiences for their streaming service - and concerns were rife. Thankfully, while not quite eclipsing the original, Glass Onion is a more than worthy follow-up.
The world has been through a great deal since Benoit Blanc had his sleuthing hat on and, rather fantastically, Rian Johnson uses that to his advantage, crafting a sequel (although barely tied to the first) so of the moment and on the money that it feels outrageously uncanny. Taking aim at the tech illumanti, Glass Onion's story is on the cutting edge and rife with ammunition, almost futuristic while never straying too far from the realm of possible - and dangerous. But in spite of the cautionary tales of greed and power, Glass Onion is so gleefully playful and escapist in its entertainment that it's hard not to revel in the sheer enjoyment of its farce.
Everything about Glass Onion feels even grander than before. No more so than in the production design, which swaps a country mansion for a Greek island, not a penny of the budget is wasted here and it is made all the more enjoyable by the big screen experience. From the designers of the Glass Onion centrepiece itself to the glorious costume department (Kate Hudson wears an iridescent dress that made me jaw drop), Steve Yedlin's exuberant cinematography and a returning Nate Johnson scoring the piece, everyone is operating on their finest form, with a firm understanding of the tone and elements at play. Across the board, this is a collaborative effort, and the film massively succeeds because of that.
All of this is of course showcased by the film's inimitable driving force though - Rian Johnson. With a script as razor-sharp as ever, with some truly hilarious gags and an intelligently satisfying three-act structure alongside snappy direction (aided by editor Bob Ducsay) and more than a handful of crowd-pleasing moments, Johnson is clearly a creative in total control of his craft, understanding what audiences expect and subverting it in a way that remains true to the plot and genre without alienating them. It's so blissfully its own creation while lovingly, proudly wearing its influences - as two touching first-act cameos prove.
Of course, once again, the cast plays an imperative role in Glass Onion's success and the entire ensemble is terrifically aligned and assigned to their roles: Daniel Craig gets to let loose a little more this time round but the results are similarly excellent. Kentucky accent and length monologues in tow, Craig is having so much fun and charges the film with so much of its excitement, Janelle Monae is a clear standout, understanding the complexities of her turn and shouldering so much of the responsibility with pose and grace. Kate Hudson is comedic dynamite, delivering some of the strongest one-liners with a ditziness that heightens their impact so hilariously, and Kathryn Hahn's every reaction and expression will be meme'd. Similarly with Knives Out, a couple of the players are underused - no more so than Leslie Odom Jr, who feels feebly drawn in comparison to others - but this is to be expected with a film so ensemble-based as a murder mystery.
Glass Onion may not quite reach the heights of its predecessor- mostly because of first act wobbles which push the farce a little too hard, and the emotional warmth brought to it by Ana De Armas' Marta in Knives Out somewhat missing - but for the most part, and somehow unbelievably, it stands toe-to-toe with it predecessor and will undoubtedly go down as one of the strongest ever sequels. By ensuring that it remains breezily fun while maintaining the contemporary thematic undercurrents that make it such a sharply-pointed indictment, Glass Onion once again shatters audience expectations with another thrilling, riotously entertaining and wholly satisfying mystery.