Glass Onion Review: The magnificent return of Benoit Blanc

Rian Johnson delivers another terrific whodunnit with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Daniel Craig reprises the role of the enigmatic detective Benoit Blanc in stellar fashion. In Knives Out, Benoit’s backstory remained a mystery. Glass Onion peels back the layers just a bit. There’s a glimpse into his home life.

The mystery at the center of Glass Onion is quite different from the first film. Knives Out was mostly a family affair over who will inherit a patriarch’s fortune. Glass Onion is once again about wealth. In this case, it’s a group of friends who placate their wealthy friend by reuniting annually.

This year’s reunion involves a murder mystery party at a small island off the coast of Greece that just so happens to feature Blanc as one of the participants and the surprise appearance of former friend Andi Brand. The cast is incredible. Edward Norton is terrific as idiotic billionaire Miles Bron who built his fortune and support system off of the ideas of others.

Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista are hilarious. Hudson plays Birdie, a fashion designer, whose racism has weakened her social media influencer status. Bautista plays Duke a conservative former Twitch streamer who lives with his mom and has a gun strapped to his side at all times.

Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel and Kathryn Hahn as Claire represents the most sensible members of the group. Odom is a scientist who works for Miles. Claire is a governor who has received considerable financial support from Miles.

Last, but certainly, the star of the ensemble is Janelle Monáe as Andi. She and Miles started the company together but Miles cut her out of the company that was her idea. Andi showing up throws everyone for a loop. If Knives Out was a breakout for Ana de Armas, then I don’t know what to call Monae’s performance as Andi. Monae is sensational and should receive a supporting actor nomination for a role that surprises at every turn.

The cinematography by Steve Yeldin and Nathan Johnson‘s score shines once again. Rian’s impressive script keeps the audience guessing throughout. The deaths are unexpected, while the culprit behind those deaths is predictable which is great. The predictable culprit allows Blanc to reel in the culprit.

The ending of the film is a little messy and some of the smaller characters like Birdie’s assistant get lost in the shuffle.

However, with Craig and Monae’s performances and under Rian’s wonderful direction, Glass Onion is an even better whodunnit than Knives Out and one of the best films of 2022.

With the overview out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the newest Benoit Blanc mystery. There may be some minor spoilers. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is available to stream on Netflix beginning Dec. 23.

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The Disruptors meet at the Glass Onion

Miles Bron refers to his group of friends as disruptors. Really they’re leeches and quite simply shitheads which is a term coined by Andi.

The group all met at a bar called the Glass Onion. None of the friends wanted anything to do with Miles until Andi convinces the group to give Miles a chance. Fast forward a couple of decades and he’s benefited greatly from the group’s affiliation.

Each member is out living their life when they receive invitations from Miles. Duke is shooting a video from his mother’s basement. Birdie’s assistant is trying to help Birdie navigate another pr disaster. Claire is running a campaign for office. Lionel works for Miles and has the responsibility of bringing Miles’s crazy ideas to life. The invitation itself is a puzzle of sorts that does a wonderful job of setting up every character.

Soon enough these friends are on their way to Greece. Their expectations are upended when Blanc arrives at the dock and Andi arrives soon after. Her presence casts a shadow of guilt over the weekend. Miles has something on each of his friends, which as Blanc clearly states, means every person at the party has the motive to kill Miles.

Rian slowly peeling back the layers of this story is a work of art in establishing a wonderful ensemble.

The Enigma

As Lionel tells Blanc, Miles inviting Andi isn’t a surprise. Andi agreeing to come to Greece is a surprise.

Andi came up with the idea for the company and formed a partnership with Miles. Unfortunately for Andi, Miles is the type of person who lives life on whims and not in reality. He was presented with a dangerous idea to use a hydrogen molecule as a clean energy source. Andi tried to cut the project off due to safety concerns. Miles reacts by cutting Andi out of the company and even has the cocktail napkin where Andi hatches the idea forged.

The group is so tied to the money and influence of Miles they even perjured themselves. They all state Miles came up with the idea for the company. Andi’s reasons for attending are fleshed out over the course of the film and allow Monae to shine in every scene as Andi.

Detective Blanc is on the case

Free from the responsibility of James Bond, Craig is set loose once again as Blanc. Glass Onion isn’t a Blanc origin story. However, Rian does flesh out the brilliant detective a bit more than in Knives Out.

Blanc’s similarities to Sherlock Holmes are most apparent in between cases. Without a good case, Blanc is lost, which is shown in amusing fashion with the detective losing in a game of Among US while in a bathtub, which he hasn’t left in a while. His romantic life is also touched on in a subtle way.

The distaste Blanc has for Miles is apparent from the start. Blanc destroys Miles’s mystery game before it even starts. Craig is terrific throughout. He’s incredible at playing the fool while showing his perceptiveness. The final act provides Blanc the opportunity to unleash all of his anger toward the suspect.

Glass Onion final thoughts

The sequel to Knives Out is simply brilliant. Every performance is so dialed in and Rian’s script is flawless. Glass Onion is a whodunnit without any leaps in logic. Timelines make sense. Clues lead to the right suspect. The revelations are a doozy.

Also, once again another talented female actress, this time Monae, is given the spotlight. She devours this role in more ways than one. To go into the story of Glass Onion any further, would dilute the surprises. Suffice it to say, Rian Johnson continues to bring new life to the mystery genre while ridiculing obscene wealth and the stupidity unearned wealth can create.