‘Wake Up Dead Man’ explores faith in sensational ‘Knives Out’ mystery sequel
"Wake Up Dead Man" is the third installment of the "Knives Out" series. The film portrays the power of faith with jokes, cultural commentary and sharp plot twists, our columnist says. Jay Cronkrite | Contributing Illustrator
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The locked room mystery is an iconic staple of detective fiction. From Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” to Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” it’s been puzzling fictional detectives for over 150 years. The latest detective to be stumped by this case is Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the leading man of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” mystery franchise.
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” which was released in theaters on Nov. 26 and premieres on Netflix on Dec. 12, is the third installment of the “Knives Out” series. The film returns to the spooky, foggy billionaire aesthetic of the first film in a Gothic-inspired mystery that deals with the power of faith.
It’s an excellent entry into this series that retains what the audience has come to expect: Johnson’s witty and nuanced writing, gorgeous visuals and a musical theatre joke or two. But it also offers something completely novel: a mystery the detective supposedly finds himself unable to solve.
The film stars Josh O’Connor as Father Jud Duplenticy, a former boxer-turned-Catholic priest who’s assigned to assist at a small upstate church. There, he’s quickly acquainted with the domineering head priest — Msgr. Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) — and his “flock,” the few parishioners who haven’t been driven out by Wicks’ bitter judgment toward the rest of the town.
The flock includes a lawyer and her failed politician/YouTuber brother, a former concert cellist struggling with chronic illness, an author who’s turned to conspiracy theories and the local doctor. The church’s only staff are Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), who has spent her entire life at Wicks’ right hand and the groundskeeper, whose love for Martha and faith in Wicks keep him sticking around.
As Jud begins his work at the church and gets to know the flock, his “open arms” view of faith comes into conflict with Wicks’ incensed, rage-baiting sermons. He quickly understands that Wicks has created a powerful cult of personality, and no one will step out of line for fear of displeasing him, no matter the cruel things Wicks does to them.
While Jud’s view of faith is one of compassion and empathy for everyone, Wicks prefers a fire-and-brimstone approach. It’s an effective and tense disparity that paints the picture for the film’s main themes.
After Wicks is murdered in a seemingly impossible crime and Benoit Blanc is called in to help solve it, he and police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) enlist Jud’s help, even though since he was the only one in the church with any animosity toward Wicks, he’s the prime suspect.
Although Blanc is the throughline of the “Knives Out” series, he actually doesn’t appear in “Wake Up Dead Man” until partway through the first act. The opening 40 minutes or so are instead carried by O’Connor, who offers a phenomenal performance as a complex, empathetic priest trying his best to atone for his sins.
Once Blanc does make an appearance, Craig and O’Connor’s chemistry is the beating heart of this film and their conversations about faith and church culture are some of Johnson’s finest writing.
As usual for Johnson’s mysteries, “Wake Up Dead Man” is less about who committed the crime and more about why they did what they did. “Knives Out” discussed class consciousness while “Glass Onion” cautioned against viewing the ultra wealthy as inherent geniuses or “disruptors” pushing the envelope. “Wake Up Dead Man” examines a different type of power: the power of religion as a community institution.
At the start of the film, this commentary mostly comes from well-placed jokes, but later on it becomes central to the characters’ arcs — especially Jud’s — and is one of the most effective pieces of Johnson’s writing. In one scene, Jud comforts Louise over the phone, both tugging at the audience’s heartstrings and reminding viewers of the vast differences between him and Wicks.
In “Knives Out” mysteries, you never walk out feeling like you expected everything that was going to happen. The plot takes sharp twists and turns throughout the film’s 144-minute runtime, but I never felt like it dragged or drew things out for the sake of suspense. The detective doesn’t often get their own arc in a mystery, but Blanc’s battle with his own ego was a notable surprise that set the scene for the film’s most emotional moment.
The supporting cast isn’t given as much time to shine individually as in previous “Knives Out” films. However, particular standouts include Close and Brolin.
Close’s Martha begins the film as a typical closed-off church lady, handling all the tasks Wicks doesn’t want to and approaching outsiders with a severe side eye. By the time the credits roll, she’s left an indelible mark on the audience. Her final confessional scene with O’Connor in particular serves to bring the film’s themes full circle and provide the satisfying conclusion.
Brolin’s Wicks isn’t a chilling character just because he’s the biggest guy in the room. The victims aren’t always the most memorable characters in a murder mystery, but Brolin’s performance combined with Johnson’s sharp writing turns the irate Wicks into the vehicle for some of the most important themes of the film.
Following “Wake Up Dead Man,” Johnson’s contract with Netflix is up, but he’s beginning to formulate plans for future films. He told The Hollywood Reporter that as long as he and Craig keep having fun making these mysteries, then there will always be ideas for future films. And I’ll certainly keep watching.
