Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Intrepid detective Benoit Blanc finds himself at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. As in all the best murder mysteries, each person harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. And when someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 139 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
  • Stars: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, Jessica Henwick, Awsten Knight, Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, Noah Segan, Natasha Lyonne, Yuri Togkces, Yo-Yo Ma, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jackie Hoffman, Dallas Roberts, Serena Williams, Jacek Czajka
  • Director: Rian Johnson
 Comments
  • haabub - 28 May 2024
    A Melodic Masterpiece
    "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," helmed by the visionary Rian Johnson, is an intriguing homage to Beatles aficionados, inspired by the 1968 track from their iconic self-titled album. This sequel retains the captivating charm of its predecessor, weaving a complex narrative that keeps audiences riveted.

    While the film's villain may not possess the same formidable presence as in the original, the storyline compensates with its intricate plot twists and suspenseful developments. The inevitable act of murder serves as the linchpin of the narrative, ensuring that the mystery remains engaging and unpredictable.

    The film's title, a nod to the Beatles' "Glass Onion," encapsulates the layered, multi-faceted nature of the story, much like the song itself. Rian Johnson's deft direction and clever writing shine through, delivering a cinematic experience that, while perhaps not as overpowering as the first installment, still manages to enthrall and entertain.

    In essence, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is a delightful continuation of the whodunit genre, blending musical nostalgia with modern-day suspense. It stands as a testament to Johnson's creative prowess, making it a must-watch for both mystery enthusiasts and Beatles fans alike.
  • jeroen-106 - 28 February 2024
    Doesn't Quite Cut as Deep
    "Glass Onion" attempts to replicate the sharp wit and intricate plotting that made "Knives Out" a standout, but it loses some edge in the process. Where "Knives Out" deftly combined the cozy trappings of a classic whodunit with timely social commentary, "Glass Onion" veers towards the fantastical, stretching the bounds of plausibility.

    In "Knives Out," the Thrombey family felt like a believable, if dysfunctional, unit, each member with motives that were relatable. The film's setting, a stately mansion filled with secrets, provided a perfect backdrop for the detective work of Benoit Blanc, played with charismatic flair by Daniel Craig. His performance was one of the keystones of the film, alongside a tightly woven plot that delivered satisfying twists and a poignant social message.

    On the other hand, "Glass Onion" trades this groundedness for a more flamboyant and far-fetched tale. Set on a private Greek island, the film's eccentric billionaire Miles Bron invites a group for a murder mystery party that becomes all too real. The stakes feel artificially inflated, and the characters lack the depth of the first film's ensemble. For example, the murder mystery party setup feels contrived and the 'onion' layers of the story, while ambitious, often come off as convoluted rather than clever.

    The charm of "Knives Out" lay in its ability to surprise us within the confines of reality, whereas "Glass Onion" sometimes feels like it's trying too hard to outdo its predecessor's inventiveness. The twists seem more for shock value rather than serving the story.

    Despite these criticisms, "Glass Onion" is not without its merits. The production design is stunning, and the ensemble cast brings a vibrant energy to the screen. However, I found myself yearning for the more understated and shrewd storytelling of "Knives Out."

    As we anticipate "Knives Out 3," my hope is for a return to the roots of what made the original so engaging: a clever, tightly plotted mystery that feels as sharp as a blade and as cozy as a worn leather armchair. A return to form would be a welcome sight, indeed.
  • symphorock - 14 January 2024
    The improbable story
    The first part was a real detective story with an investigation and a puzzle.

    This part begins as an entertaining youth movie. The mystery box looks fantastic and therefore out of place in this movie. The story itself is not as complicated as it was presented.

    There are also contradictions. Why is Miles so rich and powerful if he's a loser? Why did his "friends" immediately abandon him when his house burned down? How did it affect? Why is the house exploding everywhere, as if the fuel is everywhere in it? If this fantastic fuel generates energy, then it's not in the house anyway. The house is powered by electricity.

    In general, the story is a detective story, but it is spoiled by inappropriate fantastic elements: a box with a mystery

    and a burnt Mona Lisa painting.
  • feyipuk - 12 January 2023
    Among us
    If I'd seen this in the cinema, I'd have probably missed quite a bit racking my brain for the easter eggs. Between the cameo appearances - I'm sure I recognise that off screen English accent in the scene we first see Benoit - deciding if the strange words Edward Norton uses are real/buzz words/some other underlying ruse, and trying to decipher some of the other obscure references, it was definitely useful to have a second screen handy to fill in some blanks (the first one can either be seen on IMDB or just wait till later in the film). And RIP to a couple of the cameos.

    The end credits include the Beatles song Glass Onion (and also includes Blackbird), which must have cost them a lot to get to the rights too.

    The acting talent on display is high, though the characters are not especially taxing for them. Bautista as an over confident, gun totting, bike riding, media influencer seems quite on the nose. As one of the co-founders of active wear Fabletics, you hope Kate Hudsons character isn't drawn too closely from herself. And with Kathryn Hahn set to reprise her role in the MCU as Agatha Harkness, here she lacks that devilish twinkle in her eye.

    Ed Norton shows suitably hippy behaviour for an extravagant billionaire, though with his short hair cut and dress, there were times I was double taking if it was Tom Cruise up there. And Daniel Craig shows suitably campy brilliance as the highly observant detective in his loud clothing and impeccably tied scarves, though it is Janelle Monáe who possibly has the most changes in character, culminating in rather impressive composure involving a bottle of Jeremy Renners special sauce.

    The setting is grand and cleverly contrived to fit the story, reminiscent of detective stories of old, with the Greek blue skies and seas amplifying the nature of the group. There are some flashy props that might get more screen time in a film with less star appeal, and ultimately could be seen too make the plot too contrived.

    Not as good as the first film, but entertaining enough to enjoy to the big reveal.
  • Hitchcoc - 11 January 2023
    Dull and Talky
    After what started off as a decent setup for a real mystery, this slides into what about 90% of movies today are doing. We have a pretty decently arranged set of suspects, our sleuth, our victim, and a bad guy. Some are developed, others not so well. As it moves along, it is obvious that everyone is a suspect and everyone is some sort of victim (in a rich person's world). We are given a set of flashback which explain why the detective and the attractive young woman have a connection. We also see that high finance and a sort of Elon Musk mentality are at work. So far so good. What happens, however, are some coincidences and misfires which lead to the launching of pyrotechnics. About forty years ago, I worked in a bookstore, and a young guy came in and ordered several books on the creation of explosions. I was nervous until he told me that his plan was to go to Hollywood to be trained in how do movie pyrotechnics. I never found out if he realized his dream but it is obvious that so many movies today rely on explosions for their appeal. The final scene of this film fizzles like a bad firecracker. Lazy writing and nothing more.
  • forbeskandra - 9 January 2023
    Glad I'm not the only one...
    Like another review said, credits role and you feel like you've been conned. I kept waiting for the twist.

    But there was no twist? It just ends in destruction, a few little pieces of one liners? I honestly was hoping this was a Marvel film so there might be an actual "aha!" In the credits.

    Do Revenge had a better mystery than this. THAT twist caught me by surprise. Glad I am not the only one confused why we had all heard people really enjoyed it. I swear I saw articles breaking things down and raving about how complex it is. I like the play on current world events *cough* Twitter.

    Gosh I feel robbed of an actual ending.
  • pappywatts - 8 January 2023
    Glass Onion didn't enthrall or bring Mystery or Detection.
    Well... seduced by the hype gave it a looksee, and at first introduction to the glamorous cast and location..immediately thought Ten little Indians agatha christie style maybe but not ... all the characters had their flaws designed to bamboozle and misdirect, Benoit being an observer not a participant...let's skip to the self indulgent revenge ending which made no sense at all, just cinematically violent and destructive, the main character under suspicion or otherwise was maybe a poke or satire at one of the richest people on the planet, had a slightly' Musky' feel, juxtapositioned at the attitude of the rich and powerful, hubris and all.

    The movie because of all the above didn't generate any empathy to any of the characters portrayed.
  • imazluejeborja - 8 January 2023
    Entertaining but justo that
    The movie had some funny and even interesting moments. The authors have exploited metaphors and puns well and the location wjere the events take place fits good with the plot of the movie.

    Nevertheless, the case has been very predictable. The killer is easily discovered, and there is no plot twist to engage the audience. The 'modus operandi' is also quite soft although the plot justifies a little this. This second film is a far cry from the first version with a better accordance of the facts. Apart from the main character and the murderer, the rest of the characters play a very minor role.

    To sum up, It is a movie to pass the time but it is quite bland within the genre of mystery films where it would be located.
  • leoactuall - 7 January 2023
    It was alright
    I really enjoyed the first knives out film, and was curious of how they would make this film. It's safe to say it's no where close to being as good as the original. There was a great cast, with the likes of Madelyn Cline, Daniel Craig and Edward Norton. With other Hollywood stars aswell. But the plot falls short in some areas, at the main climax of the film with the fire and monall Lisa, It all seemed like a different film, didn't follow the same structure as the original. The film was obviously made in 2020/21 because of hints to covid and the hit game "among us", cheap gags to try and make the audience laugh, but the trends (except covid obviously) had died out months or last year. Still was enjoyable but after this film, they shouldn't make a third.
  • asgoins-93322 - 7 January 2023
    Stupid is as stupid does
    The whole point of the movie is to point out the absurdity of these types of movies. Quickly, we realize just how ridiculous the whole scheme is, all the way down to the person who "did it" but we still watched the movie. Figuring out the murderer was easy, and this was done on purpose because the movie isn't a "whodunnit" movie. It's essentially making fun of modern society and the people in society. YouTubers who are trying to make it big, even though they are in their thirties and forties. Dumb rich girls who are oblivious and have no clue what sweatshops really are because they don't understand the world. Even a representation of stoner dudes whole are just "out there" doing nothing or having no significant impact in the world. Viewing the movie through that lens, it does a pretty good job. Everything else about the movie is terrible.