CNN
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“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is the sequel to the successful predecessor. It maintains the razor-sharp formula with a setup that pays homage to Agatha Christie before a series of clever twists kick in. Writer-director Rian Johnson assembles a solid cast behind Daniel Craig, but it’s his use of language that gives the sequel its edge.
Netflix acquired the “Knives Out” franchise and will release the movie for a wide one-week-only release before it hits the streaming service in late December. The movie will play well with an appreciative audience.
The setting of “Glass Onion” is different from “Knives Out,” with an eccentric billionaire inviting his friends to a murder-mystery getaway on his secluded Greek isle during Covid.
The game takes an unexpected turn, especially with the invitation to Craig’s master detective Benoit Blanc, who remains brilliant and odd in near-equal measure.
The roster of potential killers and victims include a fashion designer, a fitness influencer, a scientist, a politician, and an estranged former business partner.
The movie may lack the sense of discovery that greeted the original, but the change in venues can still refresh the formula.
Craig’s new signature role has him playing a more cerebral form of crimefighting, with a Hercule Poirot-like gift for eavesdropping and a Southern twang.
Netflix reportedly paid a fortune to acquire these sequels, which could create unreasonable expectations for the movie.
“Glass Onion” finds new layers to explore, making the prospect of a new “Knives Out Mystery” every few years sound like a reasonable idea.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” premieres November 23 in US theaters and December 23 on Netflix. It’s rated PG-13.
