Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is currently available to stream on Netflix
After a brief sojourn in a galaxy far, far away, acclaimed director Rian Johnson has spent the past eight years crafting the macabre misadventures of Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc. As a Netflix film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will receive a limited theatrical release, but it will ultimately be seen by most audiences on the small screen. That’s genuinely unfortunate, since it looks spectacular and would absolutely thrive as a late autumn crowdpleaser. It’s also the first movie in the series that’s a straightforward murder mystery instead of a subversion of one, which winds up being the film’s greatest strength and a welcome evolution for the franchise.
A Murder in the Parish
The film opens not with Blanc, but with our functional protagonist: Reverend Jud Duplencity (Josh O’Connor), a down-on-his-luck young priest assigned to aid a small, insular parish led by the domineering Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Wicks is an elder firebrand who keeps his small group of churchgoing regulars in check with thunderous sermons and strategic deception, leading Jud to take considerable umbrage with the man. But when, immediately after a particularly heated sermon, Wicks collapses with a blade protruding from his back, there is no obvious way for someone to have killed him—even though all eyes fall on Jud for having the most apparent motive. Enter Craig’s Benoit Blanc, who finds what might just be his most perplexing case yet.
As someone who genuinely appreciated Johnson’s previous films but was somewhat disappointed by the second entry in this series, Glass Onion, it’s thrilling to see the director back in strong form with Wake Up Dead Man. While it doesn’t quite match Knives Out for emotional resonance—O’Connor’s layered but understated turn as Jud doesn’t generate quite the same amount of pathos as Ana de Armas’ Marta did in the first film, though he comes admirably close—it absolutely delivers the best pure mystery of the bunch. The solution here is genuinely surprising, and the method of how the killing and subsequent machinations were achieved is actually inventive and satisfying. While not every plot beat or line of dialogue lands perfectly, Johnson’s command of his directorial craft is as assured as it’s ever been.
It’s the first movie in the series that’s a straightforward murder mystery instead of a subversion of one, which winds up being the film’s greatest strength.
Visual Mastery and Atmospheric Excellence
This is especially evident in the film’s stunning visuals. Johnson’s films, all of which have been photographed by long-time collaborator Steve Yedlin, consistently look fantastic, and Wake Up Dead Man is no exception. Although the marketing may have somewhat oversold the film’s alleged “Gothic” influence—which amounts to a handful of standout moments rather than a pervasive aesthetic—the earthy, green-brown color palette and masterful use of lighting and framing conjure a genuinely cozy, almost sacred atmosphere in its early segments. This makes the darker, more sinister turns later on feel like a violation of sanctified space, and since the film centers on a small church community unraveling after the death of their pastor, it’s a potent and effective parallel.
The cinematography deserves special recognition for creating distinct visual personalities for different spaces within the church and parish. The intimate confession booth scenes feel appropriately claustrophobic and revelatory, while the nave of the church feels expansive yet somehow still intimate. Johnson and Yedlin understand how to use architecture to reinforce theme and emotion, and fans of their previous collaborations will find plenty to appreciate in the visual storytelling here.
Daniel Craig’s Continued Excellence
Craig continues to be an absolute delight as Benoit Blanc, and it’s clear he’s having enormous fun inhabiting this character. His Blanc is slightly more subdued here than in Glass Onion‘s more theatrical environment, which suits the church setting perfectly. The detective’s Southern charm and penetrating intellect play beautifully against the secretive, insular world of the parish, and Craig finds fresh ways to make Blanc compelling without simply repeating his previous performances. For fans who’ve fallen in love with this character across the previous films, Wake Up Dead Man offers everything you could want—wit, compassion, determination, and those delightfully specific vocal cadences that make every Blanc pronouncement feel like an event.
O’Connor and Brolin both deliver excellent work in their respective roles. O’Connor brings genuine complexity to Jud, making him simultaneously sympathetic and suspicious in ways that keep the audience guessing throughout. Brolin’s Wicks could have been a one-note tyrant, but the actor finds layers in the character that make his presence resonate even after his death. Their dynamic in the film’s opening act establishes compelling stakes that carry through the entire runtime.
The Ensemble Challenge
Yet if Wake Up Dead Man is a stronger film than its predecessor in terms of plot construction, it does share similar challenges in terms of character development. Craig is as watchable as he’s ever been, and both O’Connor and Brolin fulfill their roles admirably, but like with previous Blanc films, Johnson assembles a cast of exceptionally capable performers and then doesn’t give all of them sufficient material to work with. Talented actors like Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Cailee Spaeny are technically in this movie, but they don’t leave the lasting impression they should because the screenplay doesn’t afford them adequate room to shine.
This is particularly frustrating because every member of Wicks’ parish is given at least a hint of motive—the building blocks of compelling suspects are all there. But the movie doesn’t develop many of these characters beyond cursory setup, leaving some of them stranded as they search for a purpose the film never bothers to provide. It’s not that these actors deliver poor performances; rather, they’re simply underutilized, which feels like a missed opportunity given the caliber of talent assembled. For fans hoping to see more from these performers, it’s the film’s most notable shortcoming.
Minor Indulgences
Johnson also hasn’t completely abandoned his tendency toward meta-textual playfulness, sneaking in several cheeky references to things like Star Wars, his deal with Netflix, and discussions of classic murder mystery novel tropes like those found in John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man. Most of these moments feel like Johnson playing to the audience instead of the characters acting authentically, which occasionally threatens the movie’s immersive quality. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means—the references are brief and generally amusing—but if Johnson intends to continue with this series, it’s a tendency he might consider moderating. That said, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a tightly constructed mystery.
Exactly What the Series Needed
The auteur filmmaker following up Knives Out‘s novel inversion of the classic whodunnit formula and Glass Onion‘s more experimental structure with a straightforward, genuine murder mystery without gimmicks was precisely what this series needed. For fans who’ve been along for the entire ride, Wake Up Dead Man represents a satisfying return to form that demonstrates Johnson hasn’t exhausted the possibilities of this character or format. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a master craftsman simply execute a classic mystery exceptionally well, without feeling the need to constantly reinvent or subvert expectations.
A Mystery Worth Solving
What makes Wake Up Dead Man particularly enjoyable is how it trusts the audience to appreciate a well-crafted puzzle without needing constant winks or subversions. Johnson plays fair with clues, establishes clear rules, and then challenges viewers to piece everything together before Blanc delivers his signature reveal. For fans of classic mystery fiction, this approach will feel like a warm embrace—respectful of tradition while still feeling contemporary and fresh.
The church setting also provides fertile ground for thematic exploration. Questions of faith, hypocrisy, forgiveness, and judgment weave naturally through the narrative without becoming heavy-handed. Johnson seems genuinely interested in this milieu, and that curiosity translates into a mystery that feels specific and textured rather than generic.
The Verdict
Wake Up Dead Man may not quite reach the emotional heights of the best Benoit Blanc film, but it thoroughly satisfies by embracing genre expectations instead of trying to outsmart them. Fans of the franchise will find everything they love about these films—Craig’s charismatic performance, Johnson’s confident direction, gorgeous cinematography, and a genuinely surprising solution. Those who have been hungry for a more conventional mystery that the previous films avoided will likely come away especially pleased, as this represents Johnson demonstrating he can deliver a classic whodunnit with the same skill he brings to deconstructing one.
The movie does sell portions of its impressive cast a little short, which remains the series’ most persistent weakness and the biggest issue to address if Johnson decides to continue. But this is a relatively minor flaw in what is otherwise an exceptionally entertaining mystery that proves there’s still life in the traditional detective story when handled with this level of craft and care.
For fans who’ve been invested in Benoit Blanc’s adventures, Wake Up Dead Man delivers everything you could hope for while taking the series in a fresh direction. It’s smart without being smug, complex without being convoluted, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Johnson has created something rare: a murder mystery that both honors the genre’s traditions and feels unmistakably contemporary. When it arrives on Netflix this December, pour yourself a drink, settle in, and prepare to enjoy one of the year’s most satisfying cinematic puzzles. This is comfort food for mystery lovers, prepared by a chef who clearly knows what he’s doing.
8.5/10 Stars
Stream Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix now.
