Wake Up Dead Man review – Is this the best Knives Out film yet?

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A star rating of 4 out of 5.

As a fan of clever mysteries, I have to say Rian Johnson’s *Knives Out* films have been a real treat, and I was thrilled to see Daniel Craig reprise his role as the wonderfully quirky detective Benoit Blanc. This third installment is another excellent addition to the series, and it’s just plain fun to watch him adopt that Southern accent again!

After creating elaborate murder mysteries at a grand mansion and a luxurious island, Johnson’s latest film is set in a small Catholic church in upstate New York. Josh O’Connor takes on the role previously played by Ana de Armas and Janelle Monae – the character who becomes detective Blanc’s most trusted ally.

The Catholic church, with its inherent secrets and admissions, is a perfect setting for a murder mystery. Beyond providing striking visuals – like powerful sermons and symbolic religious imagery, even hinting at resurrection – this location lets Johnson offer a sharp critique of faith and how some modern American conservatives have used Christianity to advance their own agendas.

The story centers around Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), a powerful and somewhat frightening priest who leads a small, devoted congregation at Our Lady of Perpetual Grace – a church that will soon be connected to a crime. While not appearing particularly religious himself, Monsignor Wicks is incredibly charismatic. His increasingly extreme sermons have attracted a small but fiercely loyal group of followers, all hoping to find redemption through his words.

Wicks’s unusual take on the Gospels doesn’t sit well with Reverend Jud Duplenticy, a troubled young priest sent to the parish as a disciplinary measure after getting into a physical altercation with another clergyman. They clash from the start, so when Wicks dies under mysterious circumstances, Jud quickly becomes a suspect. This leads him to the sharp detective Blanc, who has been brought in to help the local police solve the case.

The detective in this case isn’t just trying to figure out *who* killed Wicks, but *how* they did it. Wicks was found stabbed in a small room right after speaking to his congregation, and it’s a complete mystery how anyone could have gotten to him so quickly.

The story presents what detective Blanc calls an “impossible crime,” drawing heavily from the classic locked-room mystery, *The Hollow Man* by John Dickson Carr – often considered the best example of the genre. This intriguing premise will immediately grab viewers, and it only gets more surprising from there.

The best part of watching a Knives Out movie is discovering the mystery piece by piece, so revealing any surprises now would ruin the experience.

This installment in the series is noticeably darker, more disturbing, and much stranger than the previous two.

The latest film keeps the funny moments fans loved while adding spooky gothic horror elements – and a touch of mystery, as Mila Kunis’s character describes. As the story unfolds and the investigation continues, things become increasingly unclear. Despite being set during Easter, the movie has a dark and chilly atmosphere, feeling more like winter than spring.

The mystery does occasionally become a bit complicated, almost as if the director, Rian Johnson, is juggling too many plot points. However, viewers don’t need to worry. Just like the detective in the film, Johnson is always firmly in control. Even when the story seems to stray, it’s all intentional and leads to a very rewarding conclusion, complete with a fantastic final musical cue.

Honestly, watching Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc is just a joy. He plays this wonderfully eccentric, ‘proud heretic’ of a detective with such energy, and after three movies, you can really tell he’s still loving the role – and that makes it even more fun to watch!

The film also features a strong supporting cast, and several actors get a chance to impress. O’Connor, Brolin, and Glenn Close are particularly noteworthy.

This movie is potentially the best one in the series yet, and will likely leave fans hoping for many more installments starring Dwayne Johnson and Craig T. Nelson.

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2025-10-09 00:04