Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery — A Review

23rd December, 2023: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

It’s Friday, isn’t it?

Yes: he says, briefly checking his calendar.

It’s Friday: the 23rd December.

The night before Christmas Eve, in other words.

Which — for me — pretty irrelevant.

It still means that — after dinner — I have time to watch a movie.

I’ve a pretty good idea of what I want to watch … but will let what I’ve seen — and what I though of it — tomorrow night.

Once I’ve watched it!

~≈🗡️≈~

Set during the Lockdown of 2020, and directed by Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery opens with a slow moody piano piece.

Then shows us a delivery man knocking on the door of Governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn): who signs for a mysterious wooden box.

A box identical to the ones received by Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr), Birdie (Kathryn Hudson) and Duke (Dave Bautista).

A box that — when opened — reveals an invite to an exclusive weekend with technology billionaire, Miles Bron (Edward Norton).

Apparent invites also go to Cassandra ‘Andi’ Brand (Janelle Monáe) … and, last but not least … to the world’s greatest detective: Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig).

The invite is extended to Peg (Jessica Henwick) and Whiskey (Madelyn Cline): Birdie’s PA, and Duke’s girlfriend.

Miles wants his friends to spend the weekend on his private Greek island, as he wants to host a weekend-long party for them: one that climaxes with his death!

~≈🗡️≈~

At dinner that night?

At dinner that night, Miles is a little more specific.

What he has in mind is an old fashioned murder-mystery weekend: a modern variation of Murder in the Dark, with him as the victim.

Yes, he reassures the group: he’s not genuinely going to be murdered.

He just won’t tell them who’s killed him.   He’s dead, After all.

But, as Andi reminds the group?

Everyone assembled is beholden to the driven Miles.

Blackmailed into doing exactly what he wants, blackmailed, effectively, into a motive for murder.

Duke owes Miles money, after the former’s Twitch channel was bailed out by the latter: and knows Miles is trying to seduce Whiskey.

Birdie?   Happily uses what she and Miles knows is a sweatshop: producing the pairs joint fashion line.

And both Lionel and Claire know the high powered green fuel Miles has them promoting … isn’t as safe as it seems.

Everyone one also knows that they lied on oath on Miles Bron’s behalf: against the woman who co-founded Bron’s company.

Cassandra ‘Andi’ Brand.

The woman who, it seemed, died before reaching the island.

This game of Murder in the Dark is going to turn nasty … 

~≈🗡️≈~

Now … 

First things first, was the title mysterious?

Nope: it was the name of the bar in the States where the characters first met: and planned to take over the world.

And of the setting.

The Glass Onion is the dome on top of Bron’s mansion: the place where a good chunk of the action takes place.

It’s ALSO the name of a song by the Beatles: its predecessor, Knives Out, took its title from a tune by Radiohead.

With that question out of the way … ?

What did I think of the film?

When I reviewed the original Benoit Blanc film, Knives Out, back at the start of 2020, I got honest: admitting I liked a whodunit, now and then, but hadn’t seen many.

Knives Out?

Filled an Agatha Christie shaped hole.

A hole I didn’t realise I needed filling, until the film came along.

So?

Knowing the sequel was due for release, yesterday?

Meant watching it on the day was the right thing to do.

I think that was a wise choice.

For starters?   Craig’s performance as Blanc in the original had impressed me: to the point I wanted to see more.

That’s paid off, I think.   I heard twangs of Craig’s native English accent in the original film, twangs I couldn’t hear in this.

His performance was great: and an improvement on the original.

The supporting cast?

Were all superb: with Edward Norton’s performance as the villainous Bron, one of the stand-out performances of the film.

As was Janelle Monáe, in the duel roles of Helen and Andi.

Plot wise?

Plot wise, this is not Pulp Fiction: with multiple threads laced together out of chronological order.

But, with a set of overlapping flashbacks?   Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery does pay you to watch, to concentrate, what’s happening: in a way I’ve seen in few other films.

Glass Onion sat me down … and had me watching.

Plot and perfomances?

Were just two reasons.

A (minor) third?

Were seeing some of the cameo appearances.

Granted: that is not necessarily the reason to see a film: and those cameos weren’t what got me watching.

But?   Sitting there and seeing cellist Yo-Yo Ma put in his two cents worth, seeing Serena Williams as an online coach, Angela Lansbury* — in her last appearance — in a Zoom call to Benoit?

To me, added to the fun.

There’s also a few things I noticed.

I’m assuming writer/director, Rian Johnson is something of a technology watcher: or, at least, does his research, when creating characters.

As it struck me Norton’s character had been modelled on Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs.

Indeed, Janelle Monáe’s character describes Bron as having a reality distortion field: based on Jobs own habit of charming — or persistently badgering — others to do what he wanted them to do.

I don’t know for sure.

As, in doing basic reading for this piece I noticed some — some — felt he was loosely based on Elon Musk.

I’m going to disagree, there.   The last time I heard the phrase, ‘reality distortion field,’ it was definitely applied to Jobs.

There’s other things that caught my eye.

Glass Onion sees Helen/Andi’s life being saved: when the book she has in her pocket stop a bullet.

It’s one of those tropes I’m sure I’ve seen used somewhere.

But, for the life of me … I can’t remember where!

I feel it’s common, though: feel free to tell me where you’ve seen it.

I’m also wondering if Johnson is something of a fan of Dune: or of Ancient Greek myth.

We see Andi issue dire warnings to the rest of the cast: warnings that get get ignored.

Just like those of the original Cassandra, the Trojan priestess Andi shares her name with, in the various tales of the Trojan Wars.

Cursed to accurately see the future: but never to be believed.

The Andi/Helen character also asks if Bron would keep a vial of poison in one of his teeth.

The only time I’ve seen that used is in Dune, when Leto attempts to kill Baron Harkonnen.

Again: I don’t know: I’m certainly aware that suicide pills in the shape of teeth were issued to some spies, during World War Two.

One way or the other?   I’d be interesting in finding out.

~≈🗡️≈~

Enough waffling!

I can feel you — metaphorically — telling me to get to the point.

Is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, a good entertaining film?

Is it worth watching?   Worth you time?   Worth the ticket price?   Or Netflix subscription?

Well: it’s not perfect.

Arguably, it’s using star power to get people in through the doors.

But?

It’s entertaining, watchable … and a great deal of fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed Glass Onion.

And, knowing a third is planned?

On the strength of this entry, that third film is something I look forward to.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

★★★☆

*        Having Jessica Fletcher turn up in a murder mystery?   Seems appropriate!