At 144 minutes, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is undeniably overlong. Yet somehow, it never quite feels that way.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is a 2025 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson.
Produced by T-Street Productions and Ram Bergman Productions, the film features Daniel Craig reprising his role as detective Benoit Blanc, alongside Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
The film at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025, and received a limited theatrical release on November 26 before streaming on Netflix starting December 12, 2025.
Johnson structures his third Benoit Blanc mystery less like a traditional feature and more like a competent miniseries compressed into film form.
The pacing moves with purpose, complete with natural breaks and cliffhangers that feel intentionally placed. Consequently, the runtime becomes less a burden and more a reflection of Johnson’s ambition—perhaps an indulgence, but a deliberate one.
The plot centers on Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), a former boxer turned priest who becomes embroiled in the suspicious death of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Blanc arrives to investigate, recruiting Jud despite local police chief Geraldine Scott’s (Mila Kunis) objections.
What unfolds is a labyrinthine mystery involving hidden fortunes, resurrection schemes, and moral reckonings within a rural upstate New York parish.
Furthermore, the narrative takes unexpected detours into themes of faith, redemption, and legacy. Unlike the satirical wealth critique of Glass Onion, this installment explores religiosity and small-town desperation with surprising sincerity. Nevertheless, Johnson never abandons his signature playfulness.
Indeed, camp emerges as the film’s most consistent undercurrent. It’s not overt or garish; rather, it manifests as an understated, effervescent modernist campiness that colors every scene.
Johnson clearly revels in the genre’s conventions while simultaneously subverting them, creating a viewing experience that feels both familiar and fresh.
The ensemble cast rises to meet Johnson’s tonal demands. O’Connor delivers a nuanced performance as Jud, balancing physical intensity with spiritual vulnerability. His chemistry with Craig’s Blanc proves essential, grounding the investigation in genuine human connection rather than mere puzzle-solving.
Similarly, Glenn Close excels as Martha Delacroix, the devout church lady whose arc becomes central to the film’s emotional core. Her final confession scene demonstrates both her range and Johnson’s ability to pivot from cleverness to genuine pathos.
Close commands the screen without overwhelming it, a delicate balance that elevates the entire third act.
Brolin brings charismatic menace to Monsignor Wicks, while the supporting players—particularly Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, and Andrew Scott—inhabit their roles with commitment. Each character feels purposeful rather than merely ornamental, though some inevitably receive more development than others, given the sprawling cast.
Johnson’s screenplay showcases his trademark wit and intricate plotting. The mystery unfolds with meticulous attention to detail, planting clues that reward attentive viewers without feeling overly clever.
Moreover, the dialogue crackles with intelligence, delivered by actors who understand the material’s tonal tightrope.
The film’s visual style, courtesy of cinematographer Steve Yedlin, captures both the Gothic atmosphere of small-town Catholicism and Johnson’s modernist sensibilities. The church setting provides rich iconography, from the destroyed crucifix to the shadowy mausoleum sequences. These visual choices enhance rather than overwhelm the mystery.
However, the film’s strengths function as double-edged swords. The extended runtime, while well-paced, may test viewers unfamiliar with Johnson’s style. The camp aesthetic and metatextual flourishes—which fans have come to expect—could alienate newcomers seeking a straightforward whodunit.
In addition, Johnson’s “I’m super smart but in a believable way” approach to mystery construction feels simultaneously impressive and potentially alienating. He clearly knows his genre conventions inside and out, and he wants his audience to appreciate that knowledge. For devoted fans, this represents part of the appeal. For skeptics, it may register as self-indulgent.
Nevertheless, the film works precisely because it embraces rather than apologizes for what it is. Johnson has transformed the Knives Out series into a recognizable brand of mystery-thriller—cerebral yet accessible, playful yet substantive. Wake Up Dead Man represents the culmination of that vision, for better or worse.
The metatextual elements never quite tip into self-parody. Johnson walks that line carefully, maintaining enough sincerity to ground his more outlandish narrative choices. The resurrection subplot, for instance, could easily veer into absurdity, but the cast’s commitment sells even the wildest twists.
Given that, Wake Up Dead Man delivers exactly what fans of Johnson’s previous Blanc mysteries desire: an intricately plotted puzzle wrapped in stylish execution and sharp performances. It’s not perfect—few films at this length are—but its imperfections stem from ambition rather than carelessness.
For audiences already inclined toward Johnson’s particular brand of mystery-thriller, this proves thoroughly satisfying. The director has clearly found his niche, and based on this installment’s success, he likely has at least one or two more Blanc adventures in him. Whether that’s cause for celebration or concern depends entirely on your tolerance for his aesthetic.
In conclusion, Wake Up Dead Man stands as a confident addition to the Knives Out franchise. It won’t convert skeptics, but it wasn’t designed to. Instead, it rewards existing fans while showcasing Johnson’s continued evolution as a mystery filmmaker willing to take risks within a commercial framework.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is currently streaming on Netflix.
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Quinn Que
Quinn Que is a storyteller & journalist writing regular interviews, reviews, and features. They've been fascinated with the multidisciplinary arts since a child, particularly film, literature, and television. They love microblogging, so feel free to hit them up on Twitter (X), Substack Notes, or Tumblr about any recent articles or just to shoot the pop culture breeze!