Netflix is continuing to experiment with release schedules. The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story is not an exception. The movie premiered for the critics in Venice back on September 10 and had a one-week release in theaters on November 23. It will finally come to Netflix on December 23.
Director Rian Johnson is bringing Daniel Craig back as Benoit Blanc to continue the detective’s adventures. This time in a new setting with new characters. The story follows Blanc in Greece as he is summoned to a tech billionaire’s private island after someone is murdered.
Knives Out was one of the best movies of 2019. And its sequel should be at the top of the holiday movie-watching list. However, while we will closely follow Avatar: The Way of Water as it arrives after a 13-year wait, I am more excited to watch this instead.
Benoit Blanc is Daniel Craig having fun
Credit: Netflix
Daniel Craig had his big break when he portrayed 007 in Casino Royale. He redefined the character as a stern and stoic spy who would not stop at anything to protect his country. And although that character has left a lasting impact on how people view him, it’s not the first time he plays against type. Craig gave a memorable performance as Joe Bang, a crazy and wildcard safe cracker on Stephen Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky in 2017.
Blanc feels like a more nuanced and confident performance from Craig. While he keeps having fun and distancing himself from the 007 characters, it opens many possibilities for his post-Bond career in films like The Glass Onion.
But perhaps more important than all, it looks like he is having fun playing the part, which makes for a very engaging performance. Even his accent, which may be a little off-putting at first, grows on you. Above all, this bodes well for his future, as we might get the best of him in future works.
The Glass Onion has a Star-Filled Cast
Credit: Netflix
One of the best things about Knives Out was the phenomenal cast. This time around, the cast is almost as impressive. The plot revolves around Miles Bron (Edward Norton), a billionaire who owns a private island in Greece and receives guests on his estate.
The guests include her ex, Cassandra Brand (Janelle Monáe). The Governor of Connecticut, Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn). The head scientist of Miles’s company, Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.). A former supermodel, Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson). A Twitch streamer, Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), and his assistant, Peg (Jessica Henwick).
These actors can elevate any movie there appear on. So, combining this cast in The Glass Onion has the potential to make it a memorable experience. However, getting them together is only part of the work. It is how the movie mixes them up and the situations it puts them in that make them interesting to watch.
The Onion Layers
Credit: Netflix
Another great thing about Rian Johnson is the writing in his movies. Knives Out was a perfectly planned mystery that functioned as a self-contained puzzle box and modernized and turned genre norms on their heads.
That film also had some subversions of tropes. For example, the film’s “who did it?” aspect is not the central mystery. It also has actors playing their usual roles. Like the foul-mouthed character Chriss Evans plays in the film.
Knives Out was also plagued with breadcrumbs that pointed to the mystery’s solution, Which made it very valuable for repeat viewings. We are hoping The Glass Onion is not the exception to this.
The Glass Onion’s Rian Johnson
Credit: Netflix
Rian Johnson is still a controversial figure after the Star Wars sequel debacle. Nevertheless, he is one of the most exciting directors today. He not only tried something different with Star Wars but looking at the rest of his filmography, it is hard to find a bad movie.
From the intelligent scripts and the excellent cinematography to the thematic coherence of his movies. He has a bright future in the years to come, especially since he has been able to move on from his Star Wars stint and achieve success elsewhere.
We will see if it is as good as the first film. Although, judging the first reactions from the festival circuit, it seems this will be the case. On Netflix, you can catch Benoit Blanc and the rest of the cast this Christmas.
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