The first time I walked out of "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" at the London Film Festival a couple of months back, I was desperate for more viewers to lay eyes on the latest "Knives Out" movie. I wanted to talk to as many people as possible about it, because I had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to be among the best movies of the year.
Now that the movie's available to stream on Netflix (and that I've managed to squeeze in a second big-screen viewing), I'm doubling down on my gut feeling: "Wake Up Dead Man" is, in my opinion, the best "Knives Out" movie yet, and I'd love for Johnson and Daniel Craig to keep serving up fresh Benoit Blanc cases for as long as they want.
If you were at all worried that the series would lose its appeal, fret not. If you've not seen it already, you should absolutely stream "Wake Up Dead Man" on Netflix— here's why I loved it quite so much.
'Wake Up Dead Man' is a darker, devilishly fun murder mystery
Following his second case, "Wake Up Dead Man" sees Benoit Blanc (Craig) venturing to a church in the small town of Chimney Rock in upstate New York to solve a mystifying, impossible crime. Firebrand preacher Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin) wanders into a side room mid-service and ends up dead mere seconds later, and one of his tight-knit, devout flock of followers must be responsible.
Alongside Wicks' newly arrived assistant priest, Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), and local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis), Benoit races to unravel the mystery of who killed Wicks and why. Expect shocks and dark secrets to be unearthed as they hurtle towards the truth of this increasingly convoluted, twisting tale.
I think there are two reasons I'd elevate "Wake Up Dead Man" ever so slightly above Johnson's other mystery movies. The first is simply the atmosphere this threequel possesses, and how deftly it navigates the tone of this particular caper.
"Knives Out 3" is a darker tale than its forebears, boasting some grimmer, grander scenes than prior entries, and generously engages with the role faith can play in even the most zealous lives ... but it's also a movie that also knows exactly when and how to skewer that vibe. "Wake Up Dead Man" is a playful, engaging watch from the jump, and it unfurls as a thoroughly engrossing, sometimes shocking, sometimes tender, and frequently laugh-out-loud case.
The other reason? I think this is the best "Knives Out" ensemble we've met yet. Benoit Blanc remains an excellent and frequently hilarious presence, but I found myself even more enamoured with many of the other stars in the frame.
Practically everyone's deserving of praise here, from Brolin's formidable Monsignor through to his most loyal follower, Martha (Glenn Close); even the smaller presences (Jeffrey Wright, e.g.) make the most of their screentime.
Of everyone, it's Josh O'Connor ("Challengers," "La Chimera") who rises above the rest of the flock. He's positioned as the lead above Blanc and owns the space as the affable, eager and emotional Jud.
If it stumbles anywhere, it's in the story itself. Even though "Wake Up Dead Man" is presented dramatically and with real flair, I left that second showing thinking it doesn't quite wrap up as neatly as the first outing. However, then I thought about just how much fun I had watching that tale unfold, and I don't think it bothers me much at all.
My verdict, then, is simple: "Wake Up Dead Man" cements Johnson as a modern murder-mystery maestro; this third "Knives Out" movie emerges as the best of an already entertaining bunch. And judging by some of the other reactions I've read thus far, I definitely don't think I'm alone in feeling this way, either.
In other words: if you haven’t seen it already, bump “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” to the top of your Netflix watchlist, pronto.
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” is now streaming on Netflix
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