Movies / Reviews
First Reactions To 'Wake Up Dead Man': Is The Third 'Knives Out' Top Or Flop?
The world premiere recently took place at the Toronto film festival, and reactions are rolling in.
Now that Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has had its first screenings, it's time for the initial reactions to Rian Johnson's third whodunnit featuring Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig.
And these reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Based on online tweets, it seems that audiences agree that Wake Up Dead Man is a significant improvement over its predecessor Glass Onion. Many reviews even label the latest installment as the best of the three films so far.
All reviews describe it as the darkest, most old-school, funniest, gothic, and emotional film in the series, particularly praising the performances of Josh O'Connor and Glenn Close.
Next Best Picture: "Daniel Craig's always hilarious and sharp Benoit Blanc returns, but this third installment truly belongs to Josh O'Connor, who carries the film with warmth, charm, and empathy on the guilt-ridden back of his priest character. Johnson crafts a striking motif of light/darkness that battles each other, both literally and figuratively, prompting us to continuously question the truth, our beliefs, and our perception."
Awards Radar: "The best so far. With heavier themes, but also the funniest, Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson should never stop making Benoit Blanc stories. Josh O'Connor steals the show. What a great movie!"
Den of Geek: "Rian Johnson has upped his game threefold. This is the most visually striking and thematically powerful character study of 'Knives Out'. A phenomenal exploration of the repercussions of right-wing dominance of institutionalized religion, wrapped in yet another fantastic whodunnit."
Oscar Film Forecast: "Not the strongest (that still belongs to the original). It has too many holes in the central mystery. However, what it does have is a leading role for Josh O'Connor, who continues to prove why he is the actor of his generation. Glenn Close is another clear standout."
CineMasters: "An absolute triumph. It's likely the messiest film, but by far the film that has impacted me the most. Much darker than the previous two, it demands extraordinary patience that sometimes feels hopeless, but it flows beautifully together. Hats off!"
Esquire: "Fantastic. The meta-levels accompanying the use of John Dickson Carr's 'The Hollow Man' in the way he does it (not to mention Christie's Roger Ackroyd and others) are as bold as they come. I think Rian Johnson might be our best crime writer of this century."
Film Inquiry: "It feels more like a 'traditional' murder mystery with some beautiful, dark, and gothic influences from Edgar Allen Poe. Yet, it's his most intricate and emotional mystery to date, featuring compelling character work."
Collider: "The most intricate, darkest, and surprisingly emotional 'Knives Out'. Glenn Close and Josh O'Connor are absolute standouts, and Benoit Blanc says 'Scooby-Dooby-Do'. What more could you want?"
Awards Buzz: "He's fantastic and shows Daniel Craig at his best as Benoit Blanc. Josh O'Connor is the star of this film, and he completely owns his role as Father Jud. I loved O'Connor's chemistry with Craig and would love to see them together more often. I also adored the gothic church in the film. Rian Johnson really shook everything up this time, and I think he nailed it perfectly. This was an absolute knockout.".
And these reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Based on online tweets, it seems that audiences agree that Wake Up Dead Man is a significant improvement over its predecessor Glass Onion. Many reviews even label the latest installment as the best of the three films so far.
In Theaters Starting November And On Netflix Starting December
All reviews describe it as the darkest, most old-school, funniest, gothic, and emotional film in the series, particularly praising the performances of Josh O'Connor and Glenn Close.
Read Below What Some Critics Had To Say
Next Best Picture: "Daniel Craig's always hilarious and sharp Benoit Blanc returns, but this third installment truly belongs to Josh O'Connor, who carries the film with warmth, charm, and empathy on the guilt-ridden back of his priest character. Johnson crafts a striking motif of light/darkness that battles each other, both literally and figuratively, prompting us to continuously question the truth, our beliefs, and our perception."
Awards Radar: "The best so far. With heavier themes, but also the funniest, Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson should never stop making Benoit Blanc stories. Josh O'Connor steals the show. What a great movie!"
Den of Geek: "Rian Johnson has upped his game threefold. This is the most visually striking and thematically powerful character study of 'Knives Out'. A phenomenal exploration of the repercussions of right-wing dominance of institutionalized religion, wrapped in yet another fantastic whodunnit."
Oscar Film Forecast: "Not the strongest (that still belongs to the original). It has too many holes in the central mystery. However, what it does have is a leading role for Josh O'Connor, who continues to prove why he is the actor of his generation. Glenn Close is another clear standout."
CineMasters: "An absolute triumph. It's likely the messiest film, but by far the film that has impacted me the most. Much darker than the previous two, it demands extraordinary patience that sometimes feels hopeless, but it flows beautifully together. Hats off!"
Esquire: "Fantastic. The meta-levels accompanying the use of John Dickson Carr's 'The Hollow Man' in the way he does it (not to mention Christie's Roger Ackroyd and others) are as bold as they come. I think Rian Johnson might be our best crime writer of this century."
Film Inquiry: "It feels more like a 'traditional' murder mystery with some beautiful, dark, and gothic influences from Edgar Allen Poe. Yet, it's his most intricate and emotional mystery to date, featuring compelling character work."
Collider: "The most intricate, darkest, and surprisingly emotional 'Knives Out'. Glenn Close and Josh O'Connor are absolute standouts, and Benoit Blanc says 'Scooby-Dooby-Do'. What more could you want?"
Awards Buzz: "He's fantastic and shows Daniel Craig at his best as Benoit Blanc. Josh O'Connor is the star of this film, and he completely owns his role as Father Jud. I loved O'Connor's chemistry with Craig and would love to see them together more often. I also adored the gothic church in the film. Rian Johnson really shook everything up this time, and I think he nailed it perfectly. This was an absolute knockout.".
