London (AP) – The crime comedy “Knives Out” starring former James Bond actor Daniel Craig was a surprise hit in 2019. So it was only a matter of time before a sequel hit theaters. However, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” was only briefly shown on the big screen, because the Netflix rights holder is known to see his target group in front of the television. From Friday (December 23) the award-winning whodunnit by author and director Rian Johnson can be seen on the streaming service.
“During the shooting (of the first film) we talked about it nervously and said: if it works, maybe we should make another one,” says Craig in an interview with the German Press Agency in London and laughs. “We thought we did something funny, but who knows? Just because we think it’s funny doesn’t mean it’s actually funny.” But “Knives Out” was so well received by critics and audiences that streaming giant Netflix has secured the rights to two sequels.
In “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” Craig plays the strange detective Benoit Blanc with the funny Southern accent for the second time and with visible pleasure. This time the audience also learns something about his private life. That is, Blanc lives in a relationship with a man. Who plays their partner? This is one of several humorous cameo appearances in the film. “Who wouldn’t want to live with him?” jokes Craig of the well-known star.
Murder on a private island
First, Blanc is bored during the pandemic. In the bathtub, the detective chats with her friends via zoom, including “Murder Is Her Hobby” icon Angela Lansbury in her latest role, as herself, Blanc then receives an invitation from the billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Over a weekend on her decadent private island in Greece, she must solve a fictitious murder case.
Bron has invited his old crew. Former model Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), who arrives with her PR consultant, Internet star Duke (Dave Bautista) with his young girlfriend, politician Claire (Kathryn Hahn) and scientist Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.) have long since drifted apart. Andi Brand (pop star Janelle Monáe), who has a beef with Bron, also makes a surprise appearance.
Instead of imaginary murder, there is real death. But was the victim really the target? Benoit Blanc tries to bring light into the darkness. The Southern States detective – Craig has a funny, exaggerated accent in the original English version – realizes that almost everyone has a proverbial skeleton in their closet – and therefore everyone on the island is a suspect.
Scenery with holiday atmosphere
As with its predecessor “Knives Out”, crime fanatic Rian Johnson has turned “Glass Onion” into a thriller in the style of old Agatha Christie films. Due to the beautiful scenery and pleasantly sunny atmosphere of island holidays, memories of Guy Hamilton’s “Evil Under the Sun” (1982) sometimes come to mind, in which Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot was looking for a murderer in Mallorca.
Johnson’s film is peppered with ingenious dialogue, little gags, innuendos, easter eggs, cameos and details that you notice only by watching it repeatedly. “I hope people watch it a second time,” says Craig. “And then you just get the stuff I do at the beginning of the movie. It’s not obvious at first and maybe a little creepy, but there’s a plan behind it.” The thriller pays off, even if you already know the resolution.
Craig clearly likes the character of Blanc
The playfulness of the colorful ensemble is palpable. “We’ll probably see a lot of footage from the movie sooner or later,” says Craig. “Sometimes it was hard not to laugh.” The Briton, seemingly happy that his time as James Bond is over, clearly appreciates Blanc’s character. It’s delightful to see how the extravagantly dressed detective seems to be overwhelmed in some interpersonal situations and has some awkward moments as he cunningly analyzes and combines his surroundings.
Rian Johnsons, director of the controversial “Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi”, staged “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” faster and more colorful than its predecessor. Despite the duration of more than two hours, the crime sequel is very entertaining and last but not least thanks to Daniel Craig and his colleagues, it is very entertaining. In addition, wonderfully old-fashioned film fun on the couch on cold winter evenings creates a summery mood.
