Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

“Glass Onion” is the rare sequel that doesn’t just repeat the trick—it riffs on it, turning the classic whodunnit into a sun-soaked, razor-witty party where every smile feels like it might be hiding a knife. Rian Johnson stages the mystery like a glittering magic act on a Greek island, letting Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc glide through the chaos with Southern charm and sly intelligence while Edward Norton and Janelle Monáe help keep the story crackling with personality. The ensemble is a feast, the presentation is dazzling without being empty, and the puzzle-box plotting is engineered to keep you leaning forward, delighted by how cleverly it plays with your expectations. If you prefer your mysteries stern and subdued, the heightened, comedic bite might not be your flavor—but if you want an ingenious, wildly entertaining ride that still delivers a satisfying payoff, this one’s an easy yes.

“Glass Onion” is clearly aiming for a sun-soaked, sharper-than-thou whodunit that skewers tech-bro ego and rich-people rot, with Daniel Craig happily hamming it up as Benoit Blanc. The problem is that the mystery can feel more engineered than ingenious, with pacing that lurches and a script that leans hard on exposition instead of letting clues breathe. If you’re expecting the tight suspense and elegant escalation of Knives Out, you may find this follow-up noisier, more contrived, and populated by characters who are intentionally obnoxious—sometimes to the point of irritation. Still, if you enjoy glossy ensembles, big performances, and satire that’s more playful than subtle, it can be a decent watch as long as you lower your expectations for the “mystery” part.