Written by Deepesh Vasudev
Same Formula, Exceptional Results
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a masterfully crafted whodunnit that keeps you engaged and gripped throughout its runtime; however, at times it feels like the first film, just in new clothes.
Rian Johnson, the director of Glass Onion has outdone himself with this film. All aspects of the film are expertly accomplished and the actors are at the top of their game. Daniel Craig, who is the only character returning from Knives Out, steals the show in every scene with his exceptional Southern accent and mannerisms which is miles away from his previous roles, especially that of James Bond. While you could characterize Craig’s role as the lead, this is an ensemble film. Dave Bautista and Edward Norton stand apart from the exceptional cast with their funny and eccentric characters. Special praise must be given to Janelle Monâe, whose acting skill and versatility are on full showcase here.
The film’s story and plot unravel just like an onion, pun intended. Like the previous outing, the whodunnit is well-designed to keep you guessing, giving you ample time to guess who did it. However, even if you guess the person correctly, there are enough red herrings to put you off course as to how it even happened. The film is also sort of a deconstruction and even a subversion of the genre just like the previous outing, and maybe in that sense, this is my one tiny issue with the film.
Before I say what the issue is, I want to say that Glass Onion is an almost perfect film. Every aspect of the film is done to perfection. The cinematography, set design, and special effects are all great and fit well with Rian Johnson’s vision. However, the film did not feel new, or is a step up from the first. Glass Onion felt very similar to Knives Out, even with the setting being different and all the characters and actors except one being different, the way that the story unraveled, and of course, the “Big Twist” felt similar. Nevertheless I will still recommend the film to everyone who enjoyed the first but for me, a perfect sequel should offer something new and different, or offer the same in a new and better way.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is an exceptional film that follows the same formula as its predecessor and yields similar results. It’s still worth watching and gives audiences a fun time. Enjoy trying to figure out who or what is in the middle of the Glass Onion.
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This review is published as an extension of *SCAPE’s Film Critics Lab: A Writing Mentorship Programme organised by The Filmic Eye, with support from the Singapore Film Society.
About the Author: Deepesh Vasudev is a filmmaker and also majors in Philosophy at NUS. He has created short films, music videos, adverts and visual poems, to name a few.
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About the Movie:
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daniel Craig, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline
Year: 2022
Duration: 2h 19mins
Language: English
Synopsis: Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case. The film is a standalone sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out.
Catch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix now.
