Score: A-
Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin
Running time: 144 minutes
Rated PG-13
Long Story Short: Wake Up Dead Man is the third movie about the complex mysteries of Daniel Craig's investigator Benoit Blanc. Nearly as good as the original, this has the same structure but in a completely new setting and theme. The religious struggles are appropriate both for our current society as well as a suitable foil for Blanc's (fictional) character. It is as riveting as you hope for with tension and humor, great writing and acting abounding. Try to see it in the theater if you can!
Jud (O'Connor), a young priest newly trained after a troubled youth, is given a challenging assignment. The lead priest at his church, Wicks (Brolin), is a firebreather whose extreme ministry has driven out all its congregants except for a small group of followers. Jud tries to soften Wicks's approach and counsel his flock, but on Good Friday, a shocking death occurs in the middle of mass. The murder appears to be physically impossible, yet Jud is soon targeted as the main suspect. Famed investigator Benoit Blanc (Craig) arrives at the scene, but even his impressive intellect and experience is put to the test in a case that seems to go beyond his agnostic area of expertise.
Wake Up Dead Man is a scintillating mystery thriller, an ideal theater trip for adults, thanks to its great writing, pacing, and cast of intriguing characters. This is the third Knives Out mystery and it retains the broad organizational structure of its predecessors. The overall setting of the plot is laid out first, particularly introducing the main character - in this case, Jud. After a murder, clues are presented, most related to the varied and colorful supporting cast. Blanc then enters the scene and after plenty of false turns, the full mystery is satisfyingly revealed at the end. I find this structure very enjoyable, even if it results in a slightly lengthy movie (except the first, which is about perfectly timed). Another strength of the series is that Blanc, the one recurring character, is not actually the main character. This allows him to be more "mechanical", as the brains of the operation, with witty, even silly, scenery-chewing along with his clever detective work. Jud, like Marta before him, is an appealing main character, very sympathetic and good-hearted even as intellectually you wonder if he might in fact be guilty. O'Connor does great work (see also Challengers) here as the put-upon young priest. He is genuine in his earnest attempts to do his best to help his parishioners but also retains a bit of impatience and temper from his youth. The supporting cast doesn't quite meet the high bar of the original, but Close's priest-assisting, eerily strict Martha, Scott's goofy best-selling author, and Brolin's charismatic yet vile priest are highlights.
The plot - don't worry, I won't give away any big spoilers! - is the best of the series so far. Its focus on the divine, on good and evil, are a perfect match - and challenge - for the evidence-based, shades-of-gray skeptic Blanc. And it's also one that carries important messages for our modern world, providing these fully within the film's artistry rather than through some tacked-on preaching (sorry for the pun). Wicks's angry priest rejects the modern world in his sermons with defiant certainty, going so far as to single out individuals in the pews and their (in his view) failings. Yet in his private life, Wicks is a hypocrite, both in revealing his cynicism to Jud and in his greedy and crude "worldly" plots and actions. Jud is his opposite. Not an heir to his position, like Wicks, he struggled and continues to struggle against his inner demons. The goodness that that has produced is reflected in the compassion he has for his people. Jud is far from perfect, in both moral and competency terms, but his positive, merciful efforts are what count. Yes, Blanc does eventually connect the bewildering dots that at first seemed divinely (or demonically) placed. But the most interesting action in Wake Up Dead Man is the struggle, even in the midst of distracting crisis, of ordinary people between their lighter and darker natures.
***
I was thrilled to get to see Wake Up Dead Man in a movie theater! When I heard the news years ago that Knives Out director/creator Rian Johnson would be producing two more movies - but for Netflix - I despaired that such high-quality, creative work would be trapped on the small screen. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Wake Up listed in the upcoming showtimes for my local theater (this has happened a few other times in recent years for other streamers such as Apple TV's Spirited). I think a Knives Out movie is especially valuable to see in a theater as it demands your full attention, and you just can't get that kind of focus sitting on your couch at home. Thanks, Netflix - and please show more of your movies in theaters like this!! I don't think it got a wide release, but be sure to check the showtimes of any theaters near you. As I mentioned last time, I'm not sure what else is coming along in the near future, but hopefully there will be more pleasant surprises soon!
* By http://www.impawards.com/2025/wake_up_dead_man_a_knives_out_mystery.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80953901
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