Netflix Mystery Thriller Will Keep You Guessing To The End
Continuing the saga of Detective Benoit Blanc, Glass Onion provides a fun murder mystery with an interesting setting and an all-star cast. As part of the Knives Out series, it’s a tightly written and lighthearted mystery romp. Throw in clever humor and great performances, and it’s a must-watch for fans of the genre.
The Award-Winning Glass Onion
Released in 2022, Glass Onion received a limited theatrical run before coming out on Netflix. It managed to make $15 million at the box office in its limited run and was well-received by fans and critics alike, making waves on social media and earning a 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It has also received many accolades, including a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars.
Benoit Blanc Vs. The Upper Class
Glass Onion follows Benoit Blanc as he attends a murder mystery party on a private island while investigating an actual murder. This subterfuge is almost instantly dropped as Blanc solves the parlor game in a few seconds and turns his attention to the real reason he’s there. When guests begin to die under mysterious circumstances, the true mystery game begins with Blanc investigating the guests, who all consist of rich “disrupters.”
A Stacked Cast
The strong writing of Glass Onion is buoyed by the fantastic cast and their great performances. Daniel Craig reprises his role as Benoit Blanc, delivering a memorable brash performance. This time around, he’s acting alongside Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, and Madelyn Cline.
Writer and director Rian Johnson doubled down on the class message of Knives Out, using Glass Onion to parody various types of modern elites. Edward Norton’s character, Miles, is a pseudo-intellectual tech billionaire, Dave Bautista plays a men’s rights activist streamer, and Katheryn Hahn’s character is a corrupt politician. The movie pokes fun at these character archetypes as Blanc cuts through the facade each has created with wealth and social power.
Uses Covid To Flesh Out Characters
Glass Onion was made during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a fact that the movie directly addresses. As part of the movie’s commentary on the wealthy, it mirrors the extravagant parties some celebrities threw during the pandemic despite the risks, using the reactions to COVID precautions to develop its characters. Unlike some genres, the small cast and confined setting worked well with COVID precautions and didn’t notably detract from the film.
Netflix Picked Up The Franchise
After the success of Knives Out, Netflix was quick to jump on the opportunity, buying the rights to two sequels. Glass Onion was the first of those sequels, while the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man will finish the trilogy. Aside from Benoit Blanc and a few minor characters appearing in both films, there’s no strong continuity between the first two films, making the sequel perfectly enjoyable as a stand-alone film.
Glass Onion Is Only On Netflix
Due to the limited theatrical run, it’s hard to compare the popularity of Glass Onion to Knives Out but the sequel was undeniably another hit for Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig’s murder mystery series. With even more explicit class themes and a stronger sense of humor, it’s distinct from its predecessor but still captures the magic that made it great. With Wake Up Dead Man on the way next year, it’s the perfect time to watch Glass Onion on Netflix.
