Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (United States, 2025)

he Benoit Blanc mysteries have become cinematic comfort food for those craving a classic whodunnit without leaving the sanctuary of their own homes. Yet, Wake Up Dead Man isn't exactly a "cozy" mystery. This clever and witty homage to Hercule Poirot contains language and sexual elements that might have Dame Agatha Christie turning in her grave. (Such an appropriate metaphor…) Although Wake Up Dead Man isn't quite on the same level as its immediate predecessor, Glass Onion, or the progenitor of the series, Knives Out, it remains entertaining, if a little long. 

Daniel Craig returns as famed detective Benoit Blanc, whose sole purpose is (as always) to look suave, make pronouncements, decode clues, and solve the mystery. He is a character without character traits, a plot device brought to life through Craig's charisma and screen presence. The Knives Out movies are never about Benoit Blanc, although he is the only common thread across the series. It’s about everyone else. Consequently, the reason Wake Up Dead Man slides a little from the pinnacle claimed by the two earlier installments has nothing to do with Craig or writer/director Rian Johnson's twists and red herrings. Instead, the personalities in this movie don't arrest us as fully as those in Knives Out or Glass Onion. 

There is a lot of religious iconography in this film, and it can become difficult to determine whether Johnson is satirizing Catholicism or offering a form of spiritual homage. There is a fine line there, and Johnson has fun walking the tightrope. The main character is Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), a one-time boxer who has come to the priesthood seeking redemption for past acts. His is a true calling; when he is sent to the upstate New York parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude to assist Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), he does so without protest. Wicks is a nasty piece of work – a narcissist whose hatred of his deceased mother (lovingly referred to as the "harlot whore") forms one of the pillars of his warped existence. He and Jud are soon in opposition, with various members of the congregation standing on the sidelines. 

When Father Wicks fails to make it all the way through the Good Friday mass, there are suspects aplenty: Wicks' right-hand woman Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), local doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), lawyer Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), best-selling author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), politician Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), disabled cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), and groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church). Police chief Geraldine Scott (a miscast Mila Kunis) recognizes Jud as the prime suspect but doesn't think he's a good fit for the perpetrator role, so she brings in Benoit to investigate. 

Although Wake Up Dead Man is filled with mystery tropes (including the "Lazarus effect"), the lack of character depth makes it difficult to become invested in the whodunnit aspect. Outside of the two priests and Martha, no one is better than half-developed. The cast is stacked with recognizable faces – including Jeremy Renner in his first role following his life-threatening accident, Kerry Washington, and Cailee Spaeny – but they inhabit mostly unformed individuals. The film's compelling puzzle is less figuring out who committed the murder than it is piecing together how it was done. In keeping with the structure of the previous two Benoit Blanc films, this is revealed in great detail over the course of about 30 minutes late in the film. 

While Craig almost always steals the spotlight, especially when paired with the low-key Josh O'Connor, the actor who brings the most energy to the proceedings is Jeffrey Wright (who previously played Felix Leiter to Craig's 007). Appearing briefly at the beginning and end as Jud's superior, his turn as a blunt, profane priest is a highlight. Josh Brolin must have filmed this movie back-to-back with The Running Man because some of the mannerisms evident in his portrayal of Dan Killian bleed into his performance here. 

Writer/director/creator Rian Johnson had hoped for a wider theatrical release for Wake Up Dead Man, but Netflix didn't want to mess with a successful process. The previous two films found their success largely because of the streaming-primary approach, turning Benoit Blanc from a one-off detective into the central figure in an unlikely franchise. (This series and Kenneth Branagh's Poirot prove there is still an audience for these old-style mysteries.) Both Johnson and Craig are open to continuing the series with the proviso that the story is more important than the money – an allowance that the streaming structure provides. For fans of the genre, Wake Up Dead Man delivers exactly what they have come to expect: a sharp, stylish puzzle box that is a joy to unlock.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (United States, 2025)