Rian Johnson’s acclaimed Knives Out paved the way for a new loveable detective, Benoit Blanc, magnificently played by Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig once again is at the centre of a murder mystery in Glass Onion. However, unlike Knives Out the overall feel of Glass Onion is somewhat casual and playful. As you would recall, in the first film, there was a sense of intensity and gloom right through. Glass Onion does stand on its own as a Mystery Comedy which is a lot of fun. But If I am completely honest, I did miss the gloom and intensity a bit.
Just like in Knives Out, the ensemble cast here is something people would die for. Edward Norton is excellent and so is Kate Hudson. Add to this, the abundance of special appearances from Hugh Jackman, Ethan Hawke, Natasha Lyonne, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and even Serena Williams (yes!). We also get meta callouts to Jeremy Renner and Gillian Flynn among others. There is also a reference to Bojack Horseman (at least I thought so) with a homeless guy appearing randomly, drinking and looking for company, reminding me of Todd.
The mystery is not layered as well as in Knives Out but the creators were aware of this. So they compensate for that with a mix of typical humour and satire. There are many references to tech giants' overgrown wealth and absurd spending. All this keeps you engaged along with the stellar cast on display. The big reveal itself does not blow you away, but by then you have had so much fun that a simple closure is enough. Rian Johnson does that with a lot of panache too. Overall, it was enjoyable and even memorable in parts but I guess it lacked a knock-out punch you expect from such a cast at the hands of someone like Rian Johnson.
Nevertheless, Glass Onion is still recommended viewing in my book. Watch it when you are in the mood for a star-studded light comedy that offers enough intrigue to create a nice balance.