Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Jannelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Noah Segan, Jackie Hoffman, Dallas Roberts
Running Time: 139 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

What's immediately obvious about Rian Johnson's much anticipated Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion, is just how wildly different it is from its predecessor. Whereas the 2019 original boasted a carefully constructed but relatively straightforward mystery plot, there are few more extra layers to peel back here, making good on its title. It's bigger, messier and more bitingly satirical, with a very recognizable all-star cast throwing themselves into their wildly eccentric characters. More elaborate and convoluted than the first film, an inordinate amount of time is spent establishing the suspects, and we're so caught up in their crazily flawed personalities that when the actual murder comes, it almost seems like an intrusion. And that's not even the real crime, but instead a gateway leading down another rabbit hole.

It's only when Johnson pulls the proverbial trigger that you realize all of this was less set-up than actual story, brimming with substantial clues you wouldn't think to notice the first time around. Flashing back to fill in the gaps, we realize the killing in question is just a small piece of a much larger puzzle, though certainly not an unsolvable one for Daniel Craig's super sleuth Benoit Blanc. There's probably little reason to rewatch the film knowing how everything plays out, but it earns points for timeliness, incorporating some really hot button issues ripe for parody. More broadly comedic and far from flawless, it still does what's necessary really well, resulting in a worthy, entertaining follow-up.

When Miles Bron (Edward Norton), billionaire co-founder of the Alpha technology company decides to host a murder mystery weekend getaway at his mansion, the Glass Onion, in Greece, he sends an elaborate wooden puzzle box invites to five friends. Among the recipients are Alpha's head scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.), Connecticut governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), famous fashion designer Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), men's rights influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and ousted Alpha co-founder Cassandra "Andi" Brand (Jannelle Monáe). Birdie's handler and assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick) and Duke's girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline) also come along, but the true outlier is famed private investigator Benoit Blanc (Craig), whose presence Miles immediately questions despite brandishing an invitation. 

Each of the guests (or "disruptors" as Miles endearingly calls them) seem to share a unique history or parasitic relationship with their host, whose intentions to stage a mystery game revolving around his own murder are quickly derailed when more serious issues concerning his company and the attendees' intentions surface. All isn't what it seems, especially when it comes to his future plans for Alpha and ex-CEO Andi's inexplicable invite. Someone will be murdered on Miles' private island before the weekend ends, and it'll be up to Blanc to not only uncover the killer, but their motivation. Then he'll have to prove it. 

Johnson's taking shots at the easiest possible targets in wealthy, elite weirdos, but that still doesn't make it any less funny or true. Norton's Miles is clearly an Elon Musk stand-in, with maybe just a pinch of other narcissistic billionaires like Jeff Bezos thrown in for good measure. But mostly, it's Musk. Norton hasn't played a role even vaguely resembling this so it's fun to see him tear into it, as Miles pretentiously talks in pointless platitudes, reiterating to anyone willing to listen how this technology will change the world and they should be grateful for his existence. These "friends" are all in, largely because they're hanger-ons whose entire lives, careers and financial endeavors depend on him. 

No one exactly likes Miles, but he's their meal ticket, so the gang doesn't see much choice in the matter, bending over backwards to make him happy. Of course, Blanc sniffs that out right away, recognizing the pompous billionaire as a potential target whose mystery game could soon turn very real. But there's still a lot we don't know, and most of the fun comes in that info slowly slipping out. And set against a spectacular visual backdrop from production designer Rick Heinrichs that encapsulates Miles' opulent oddball sensibilities, the Glass Onion compound could be considered as memorable a character as the selfish people inhabiting it for the weekend.

The loaded cast have their moments to shine, with some leaving larger impressions than others. As ditzy, airheaded fashion magnate Birdie, Hudson probably has the meatiest supporting role, and one that comes closest to approximating the kind of part her mom would have played decades earlier. She does well with it, as does a quietly scene-stealing Jessica Henwick as her exasperated assistant, seemingly always a minute away from quitting. She also gives the single best line delivery in the film upon discovering the true extent of her boss's stupidity. 

As a chauvinistic social media streamer, Bautista plays somewhat of an entitled jerk for a change, but finds a lot more in the character as his arc progresses, earning a certain degree of empathy for Duke, who's yet another pawn in Miles' game. Madelyne Cline brings more to the table than expected as Duke's girlfriend Whiskey, adding some needed dimension to what could have been a throwaway role. And the always great Kathryn Hahn is dependably sarcastic and hilarious as the image-conscious politician, leaving Leslie Odom Jr. with probably the least to do as Miles' loyal scientist, even as he still makes the most of it. There are also some clever cameos, two in particular marking final screen appearances for a pair of legends.

In a breakout comparable to Ana de Armas' in the original, Jannelle Monáe outright hijacks the movie as Andi, the ex-CEO with a grudge to settle with Miles and maybe a few others. It's established early that the question is less why she's been invited, but her motivation in accepting. Their history is at the core of the case and it gradually becomes apparent just how tricky a role Monáe has, sort of a performance within a performance, calling on her to constantly balance comedy and drama while also carrying a large load of intense action scenes. She basically does it all as the most intriguing and mysterious character of the group, driven by intentions that differ from anyone else. Craig's dry humor is probably the most noticeable carry over from the previous film, and seems to gain even more mileage this time. Blanc's kind of a suaver Columbo in that the crazier things get, the more nonchalant he appears to be, even as we know the wheels are always turning in his head and the true culprit rarely stands a chance of outwitting the master. 

Despite a bloated length and some early rough patches, enough is done at the midway point to justify much of what came earlier. The plot of the first may have been tighter, but Glass Onion makes up for it with ambition, sticking a landing that's less dependent on evidence and clues than pure unbridled revenge and emotion. It's a sequel with a point to make, with Johnson unafraid of foregoing more conventional, predictable routes in getting there. He knows the most interesting part of a whodunnit isn't the crime, but all the little details surrounding it.