If there is, or was, a petition to officially designate the last two years, as "The Josh O’Connor Era," consider this my signature in bold, black text. In Rian Johnson’s third—and arguably finest—entry into the Knives Out anthology, "Wake Up Dead Man," we are purportedly here for another Benoit Blanc mystery.
Yet, as I approached the halfway mark of the film, I found myself thinking the unthinkable: I would be entirely content if Daniel Craig’s Southern gentleman detective hung up his cravat and handed the reins over to O’Connor’s Father Jud Duplenticy. That is not a knock on Craig, who slips back into Blanc’s skin with the comfort of a well-worn linen suit, but rather a testament to the absolute gravitational pull of O’Connor. As the rough-around-the-edges priest with a pugilist’s past and a doubting heart, he is effortlessly charming, infectious, and engaging. He steals every scene not through grandstanding, but through a tenacity and vigor that earns the audience's time and commitment in every which way. Whether he is verbalizing the internal conflict of a man of cloth or physically navigating the claustrophobic tension of the crime scene, he is the film’s beating heart.
The setting of a secluded, snow-dusted parish in upstate New York provides the perfect crucible for Johnson’s sharpest thematic work yet. While the previous films skewered old money and tech bros, Wake Up Dead Man turns its gaze toward faith—or more specifically, blind faith. It deconstructs the danger of placing absolute belief in institutions, religion, and, most precariously, in people. The film posits that faith is just as easily corroded as it is earned, a fragile currency in a town built on secrets, which lends a weight to the proceedings that elevates the film beyond a simple whodunit; it’s a "whydunit" of the soul.
Of course, a Knives Out mystery lives and dies by its ensemble, and this cast is, as always, stacked to the rafters. From Josh Brolin’s imposing Monsignor to the frantic energy of Jeremy Renner and the quiet menace of Glenn Close, they all commit fully to the bit. There isn't a weak link in the chain. What makes this particular grouping so effective is how their conflicting perspectives challenge not just each other, but the viewer’s own biases and ideals. It makes for such fascinating stories when you see so many contradicting worldviews colliding in a confined space. You are constantly forced to recalibrate who you trust, largely because the script refuses to let any character settle into a comfortable archetype.
The unraveling mystery itself is fascinating, thrilling, and supremely enjoyable, largely courtesy of the thought that has gone into making it genuinely unpredictable. In a media landscape where so many films telegraph their punches from the opening act, the twists here feel refreshing and earned rather than cheap shock tactics. Rian Johnson proves once again that he really has his finger on the format of these murder mysteries. He understands the mechanics of the genre so intimately that he knows exactly when to break the rules he established. If this third film is proof of anything—other than how dangerously palatable Josh O'Connor is—it’s that the franchise has matured into something truly special.
By the time the final reveal lands, it doesn’t just feel like a puzzle being solved, but like a magic trick where you’re grateful to have been fooled. It is a rare thing to find a sequel that outshines its predecessors by deepening the conversation rather than just widening the explosion radius, but "Wake Up Dead Man" manages exactly that. It forces you to look at the people you trust and wonder if you're seeing the truth or just the version of it you pray for.
8.5/10
Add comment
Comments