Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery was released on Nov. 26 in select movie theaters and then released on Netflix on Dec. 12. Daniel Craig returns as Private Detective Blanc and is called upon once again to solve another twisted, chilling murder in the third installment of the Knives Out movie series.
Since the film is only showing in select theaters, we had the privilege of watching it in a small, indie theatre in Montclair, NJ. Being able to watch Wake Up Dead Man on the big screen added a layer of novelty and excitement to the overall experience, and we would recommend, if possible, watching in the theatre to get the best watch.
Starring Josh O’Connor as Father Jud Duplenticy and Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, Wake Up Dead Man follows the investigation of a murder committed during a Mass in a small, eerie upstate New York church. The victim is a controversial, yet powerful, figure within the church, and from the moment Father Judd discovers the knife in the victim’s back, the seemingly impossible nature of the murder sets the tone for the entire film.
There are a handful of suspects first displayed to the audience as the victim’s cult following. Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close) and Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church) are workers of the church who know the grounds inside out. Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), Lee Ross (Andrew Scott) and Vera Draven (Kerry Washington) are all members of the community who look to the church, with a seemingly unbreakable devotion, to solve their internal and external problems. These suspicious individuals set up a “whodunnit,” Scooby Doo-style mystery, engaging viewers and keeping them on their toes.
Additionally, the character Cy Draven, played by Daryl McCormack, provides comic relief amid the film’s nail-biting mystery. He portrays an eerily accurate profile of a media-obsessed young adult, impulsively documenting every moment on his phone, an annoying habit that later proves to be unexpectedly helpful.
O’Connor and Brolin’s performances are outstanding alongside Craig’s encapsulating, recurring performance as Blanc. These performances helped elevate this third movie back to the stellar level of the first Knives Out (2019), after the second installment, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), fell short.
From the stunning cinematography to the meticulously detailed plot, this movie checks all the boxes of a five star rating. It is evident Director Rian Johnson took the criticisms of Glass Onion into account, bringing back the aesthetic and tone of the first film without making it feel like a mere copy. Although the original Knives Out is a better mystery, Wake Up Dead Man is arguably a better movie overall.