It's May 2020 and that annoying pandemic is in full swing. Tech Genius Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites some of his friends for a weekend murder mystery party on his island estate, the Glass Onion. These "disruptors" are dude-bro Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), vapid model Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and Governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn). Their fifth member, Cassandra "Andi" Brand (Janelle Monae), suddenly joins them with Blanc. Brand left the group on bad terms and their reunion isn't that pleasant. Bron, meanwhile, doesn't remember inviting Blanc at all.
Blanc disrupts the reunion by solving the murder mystery ... before the game gets afoot! But one of the Disruptors is killed for real. There's also another murder mystery within the murder mystery. It may have something to do with Bron's new alternative fuel, Klear. Blanc and Brand get on the case. They soon come to the shocking conclusion that the obvious suspect is the actual culprit.
Does that sound appealing?
It is.
We spend the first hour or so getting to know the Disruptors. They're mostly not a nice bunch of characters, save for, maybe, Lionel. But we see their hidden layers when the story goes for a long flashback. OK, they still do morally questionable things (perjury, for one). But we see them as messed up people who know they're messed up. They're so spineless that it's easy to pity them. It's still nice to see them grow some backbone in the end. While we're at it, Duke's girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline) and Birdie's assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), who tag along for the trip, prove themselves quite likable characters.
Brand is the star of the show. The Disruptors solve elaborate puzzle boxes to get to their invitations in their first scenes. She smashes it open. She lays into the Disruptors thick for their moral flaws. Of course, much of her resentment makes more sense once we learn of the other murder mystery. But unlike last time, I won't spoil it for you. She and Whiskey have some great scenes together when the latter shows her legitimate kindness. She and Blanc make for great partners together. The finale lets her cut loose against the actual culprit in a glorious fashion.
Blanc is still a great detective. He's first introduced cooped up playing the video game Among Us with some celebrity friends, two of whom are the recently departed Angela Lansbury and Stephen Sondheim. He jumps at the chance to solve a murder mystery when Brand comes calling. He proves himself just as caring and competent as he is eccentric. Bron, meanwhile, talks smart but proves himself anything but. But at least he convincingly plays dangerously smug. Did I spoil the killer?
The Glass Onion estate is an impressive piece of film architecture. That and the puzzle boxes are great highlights of production designer Rick Heinrich's work. They look especially stunning with cinematographer Steve Yedlin's work. The cast have an appealing wardrobe designed by Jenny Eagan. A few of Brand's costumes are the standouts here. Nathan Johnson's score also stands out, especially since it made the recent Oscar shortlist. It suits the film's grand mystery plot rather well.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is just as funny and suspenseful as its predecessor. Its potential suspects are interesting characters even if they aren't fully likable. Its lead characters are unambiguously likable ones. It maybe 139 minutes but those minutes are all compelling. It will make a great home matinee this holiday season and beyond. Netflix paid over $400 million for the Knives Out sequels and it's a good investment, so far. I'm ready for part three already.
No comments:
Post a Comment