*This review will contain spoilers. Proceed with caution.*
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is Rian Johnson’s latest, long-awaited sequel to the now classic Knives Out (2019), a mystery, whodunit film with a star-studded. The first movie in the franchise came out of seemingly nowhere, with the likes of Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Toni Collette and even “James Bond” himself, Daniel Craig. With the latest movie, Johnson had his work cut out for him in continuing the beloved franchise, and luckily, it did not disappoint.
This time, lead character Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is brought to investigate a group of public figures, all brought together during peak lockdown to billionaire Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) private island for their annual get-together. A washed-out model, a frantic politician, a viral yet problematic Twitch streamer and more make up Bron’s posse that calls themselves “The Disrupters”. After lead incel of the group, Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), is poisoned on the first night, Blanc is left to figure out which member of the eclectic group is responsible.
What truly makes Glass Onion shine is its cast. The balance of comedic talents such as Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista and Kate Hudson alongside more dramatic performances from Janelle Monae and Edward Norton makes for an incredibly entertaining cast. Audiences are unable to rule any suspects out until Benoit Blanc narrows it down for us. The film ends in a creative twist when we realize that Blanc conned his way onto the island to help Andi Brand’s twin sister, Helen, (both played by Monae) solve her sister’s murder, forcing audiences to rethink the entire first half of the movie. While I personally don’t adore a surprise identical twin storyline (I’m looking at you, finale of Pretty Little Liars), I thought this was one of the better uses of that trope, and the great casting of the film has a lot to do with its successful execution.
My absolute favorite detail about Glass Onion is that it is insanely clever in a very obvious way. Once the billionaire character is revealed to be the murderer of both Duke and Andi, all of the puzzle pieces fit into place. As an audience, we are taught to constantly expect the unexpected. Even Blanc kicks himself for overthinking all of the suspects as the penultimate moment of the film can be summarized in his simple conclusion: “Miles Bron is an idiot!”
All along, the clues were laid out for us, either in obvious methods such as the literal title of the film, and also in more subdued, sneakier methods. What brings The Disruptors together is The Glass Onion, a bar from their past and a metaphorical building that physically overlooks the entire private island. Blanc points out how an onion is typically thought of as having many layers that need to be peeled back in order to get to its core. In a glass onion, this is futile, as the layers are transparent and the core is completely visible (much like how the killer was obvious from the start). Bron’s inventions on the island provide another clue, since nothing he creates is successful. The dock is invisible and made of ice, making it completely useless as its entire purpose is to be visible and practical. The “Klear” device that Bron champions as a sustainable energy practice is literally a ticking time bomb. Even details such as an upside-down, million-dollar painting provide further examples of Miles Bron being a complete moron.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery has redefined the mystery genre by presenting a new, historically overlooked take on creating a whodunit: obvious suspects CAN be correct suspects. A genre once overtaken by a rampage of theories and convoluted motives has found greatness in this film’s simplicity. This sequel takes a step back from its original film’s detailed timeline in order for audiences to enjoy its basic premise, and in doing so, the Knives Out franchise continues to live up to the hype.