Writer/Director Rian Johnson leaves behind the sunny beaches of Glass Onion for a locked room mystery in Benoit Blanc’s third outing, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Johnson draws heavy inspiration from John Dickson Carr and Edgar Allan Poe for the latest whodunnit case, centered around a whole new ensemble. Though that does mean it leans into gothic atmosphere and imagery, Johnson maintains his streak for vibrant humor and intricate mystery plotting.
He doesn’t know it yet, but Father Jud (Josh O’Connor) will find himself in dire need of the sleuthing services of Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). The young priest finds himself at odds with Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin) and his flock as the newly assigned second-in-command. Their church numbers are dwindling, and the remnants make for an eclectic and unwelcoming bunch. It doesn’t help that Jud’s past led to tragedy, further alienating him in his new station. That makes him the prime suspect when a dead body shows up during service.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Josh O’Connor in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025
Wake Up Dead Man is indeed the darkest entry yet, with Johnson unfurling dramatic gothic flashbacks lit in stark hues or ghastly death tableaus. The Neo-Gothic church serves as the primary setting. It is, as aforementioned, drawing heavily from the mysteries of Poe and Carr; the latter of whom’s The Hollow Man gets mentioned frequently. It’s also darker in the sense that it’s grappling heavily with religion and its uglier facets.
It also leans just as much into its comforting warmth, thanks to Dead Man’s benevolent lead, Father Jud, and the career-defining performance by O’Connor. His pairing with Benoit Blanc makes for an entertaining yet tender odd couple; the full believer and the skeptic, both united by their moral compasses and kind hearts. It’s through them, and another Murderer’s Row of talent, that prevents Dead Man from veering too far into dark, gothic horror territory.
That is to say that Johnson is unwavering when it comes to this film series’ commitment to delivering an entertaining ride filled with plenty of laughs, many from Craig’s effervescent murder-solving theatrics. Assisting this time is scene stealer Glenn Close as a devout and pious Mrs. Danvers-esque housekeeper. Kerry Washington gets venomous as the bitter lawyer who feels trapped in this small town, with Daryl McCormack as her adopted son. Rounding out the ensemble but less fleshed out are Cailee Spaeny, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, and Thomas Haden Church.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Josh Brolin in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2025
Each injects their characters with endless personality, but Johnson’s latest whodunnit is so intricately laid out that its plotting tends to crowd out the characters. So much so that the suspect list feels smaller than usual, and some reveals can be deduced early. True to its influences, this mystery is prone to long-winded expositional monologues to help audiences stay on course; there’s a lot of ground to cover in this complicated case. How Johnson manages to ultimately corral this beast of a mystery and navigate with precision only continues to impress.
It’s clear that everyone involved in these films is having an absolute blast, and it remains as infectious as ever, even as Johnson edges closer to darkness with this gothic whodunnit. Here’s to hoping that Benoit Blanc keeps going, and that Johnson eventually leans further into the more overtly horror-coded mysteries.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery received its world premiere at TIFF. It releases in select theaters November 26 and Netflix December 12.
