This surprisingly layered murder mystery is now playing on Netflix.
RATING:
PG-13 (expected, based on previous Knives Out films — brief language, violence, adult themes)
LENGTH: 2 hours 26 minutes
Movie Review Mom GRADE: A
SPONSOR of Today’s movie review:
We see a list of books on the church’s Book Club reading list that are by Agatha Christie. Some have compared the Benoit Blanc detective as a character similar to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. Here’s a fun series to check out: https://amzn.to/48P3P3p
IN A NUTSHELL:
Benoit Blanc is back with another stylish, twist-filled mystery that keeps audiences guessing until the very end. Wake Up Dead Man leans darker than the previous Knives Out films, blending clever humor with a more serious tone as secrets unravel and motives collide. The ensemble cast is extremely strong, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and the film delivers exactly what fans of the franchise expect: layered storytelling with plenty of surprises.
Already, this “closed room” mystery has been nominated for 22 awards and won one!
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
This movie is more intense than Glass Onion and may feel heavier for younger viewers. The film is best suited for teens and adults who enjoy murder mysteries and sophisticated storytelling.
- There are inappropriate jokes about a man pleasuring himself…and the scene goes on and on again.
- Some violence with blood
- Portrayal of murders are shown several times from different perspectives
- Adult conversations
- Moral issues
- Some crude language and references to immoral women
THEMES:
• Truth vs. deception
• Greed and power
• Justice and accountability
• Appearances can be misleading
• The cost of secrets
- True
- Christianity
THINGS I LIKED:
Like the last movie in the franchise, this one was named after a song: “Wake Up Dead Man” from U2’s 1997 album “Pop”. That link goes to the very explicit song. Probably due to the profanity in the song, it wasn’t featured in the film.
This movie features a Marvel villain (Josh Brolin), a Marvel hero (Jeremy Renner), and a Marvel Head of State (Glenn Close). Go MCU! The entire cast is fantastic.
Daniel Craig once again shines as Benoit Blanc. He and Noah Segan are the only two actors who have appeared in all three Knives Out movies.
This is Jeremy Renner’s first movie since his near-fatal snowplow accident in 2023. It’s so great to see him again and that he’s alive and well! In the second Knives Out film, a hot sauce made by Jeremy Renner is actually featured!
The magnificent Glenn Close is so fun to watch in everything she does. In this film, she wears a crucifix from St. Peter’s Basilica, given to her by her father in real life. She also wore it in the movie House of Spirits. She described working on this film as “one of the great gifts to have such an intense experience with people who you know will be your dear friends for the rest of your life.” She described the cast as one big supportive family, and she loved every moment with them.
I adore Josh O’Connor. He’s absolutely fantastic in this role, although it’s not his first time playing a vicar! He steals the show and lights up the screen every time he’s on it. I loved his multi-layered character and the lessons he teaches us all.
The cast also includes the talented Daryl McCormack, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, Jeffrey Wright, and Mila Kunis. I had never seen Cailee Spaeny in anything before.
There is gorgeous cinematography and production design. The director really plays with light on set, giving us some subtle symbolism. Sometimes, the light is actual light coming through the church windows, not manufactured at all. Impressive.
Unlike many franchises where each subsequent film gets worse, all three of the Knives Out movies are terrific.
I found it interesting to learn that the film was shot in reverse order of how the story actually unfolds. Josh Brolin was the last one to shoot on set.
The movie was filmed on location at The Holy Innocents Church in Epping Forest, outside of London. My husband laughed out loud when it was announced that the name of the church in the film was called Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude. The real vicar of the church had it written in the contract that she was to be on-set during filming.
In case you’re wondering, the body that was shown during the autopsy scene was a prosthetic. Good to know! I shuddered and laughed at the same time.
While watching the movie, I wondered how accurately certain details about Catholicism were portrayed. Director Rian Johnson met with a “Catholic Technical Consultant”, Father Scott Bailey.
While the movie pokes fun at blind religious fervor, it also beautifully shows how healing true Christian faith can be. At the 1 hour 24 minute mark, there’s a funny and stunningly beautiful scene that touched my heart so much. That scene, for me, turned the movie from being another screwball murder mystery into a reflection of pure Christlike service and faith. Loved it.
I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan, so I laughed and had a big, dopey grin on my face every time one of the characters said a line that was taken from that glorious trilogy! Yes, there were THAT many!
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
Christians of faith, especially Catholics, may be offended. Keep watching though, because your opinion may change.
The pacing changes from slow to fast to slow and then fast again. For me, it worked.
Some plot twists feel deliberately confusing. The darker tone may surprise fans expecting lighter humor.
Apart from short backstory scenes, not all characters feel fully developed and don’t get very much screen time where we really get to know them. The snappy commentary provides enough information, in my opinion.
As much as I enjoyed this, I readily admit that it’s unnecessarily long. At a run time of 2 1/2 hours, it feels a bit self-indulgent. That being said, if you’re enjoying the film, you won’t mind.
Fans of Daniel Craig will be disappointed that the famous detective doesn’t appear until after 35 minutes into the story.
The film has a lot to say…and say it, it does, both in words and actions. At times, the exposition is heavy, but it’s always entertaining.
FUNNY LINES:
- “I take it you’re not a Catholic.” – Fr. Jud Duplenticy “Ah, no. Proud heretic.” – Benoit Blanc
INTERESTING LINES:
- “It is time to discover what this flock of wicked wolves is hiding.” – Benoit Blanc
- “To understand this case, we need to look at the myth that’s being constructed.” – Benoit Blanc
- “This is a holy mystery.” – Martha Delacroix
- “A classic, impossible crime.” – Benoit Blanc
- “We do not know. What is truth? We do not know that. We don’t.” – Dr. Nat Sharp
MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:
• Knives Out j- https://moviereviewmom.com/knives-out-movie-review/
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – https://moviereviewmom.com/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-movie-review/
• Murder on the Orient Express – https://moviereviewmom.com/murder-on-the-orient-express-features-star-studded-cast/
• Death on the Nile – https://moviereviewmom.com/death-on-the-nile-movie-review/
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