Story and tone

After “Knives Out” released in 2019, few expected its success would lead to a sequel. After all, neither the story nor detective Benoit Blanc needed more exposure. After widespread acclaim, Ryan Johnson presented a new intricate case for Benoit Blanc.

The main thing that the first part fascinated almost all viewers was the characters. The main characters were memorable, attractive, alive, and very easy to believe in. 

Each character had its own bright and unique meaning. Even the actions of outright scoundrels were interesting to follow. Unfortunately, even Daniel Craig’s solid performance fades beside them, turning his calm private detective into a supporting role. The original film’s true star was Ana de Armas, whose kind character and performance won over every viewer.

Creators of sequels usually try to tell a new story but make it very similar to the original film so that the viewer has the same good impression of the sequel. But The Glass Onion is not a sequel; it’s just another detective story with the same familiar Benoit Blanc in the middle. But the story (at least the plot) is very similar in many ways. 

Visual imagination

This time, the action takes place on the island of the billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), who has “close friends” who support Miles in everything they can for his money and influence. Also, a detective familiar to the viewer is randomly dropped in among this gang (that’s what they call themselves). This, of course, is not by accident, and he has to solve the mystery of the death of one of the gang members.

Themes

The detective part of the movie is shown very well. All the plot lines are revealed and, in the end, lead the main characters to the disclosure of the murderer. As in the first part, Johnson tried to show the main characters as bright, extravagant personalities and succeeded.

But whereas in the original film, they were self-serving relatives (with cockroaches in their heads) who hated the whole family and maintained relationships solely so their father would help them financially, in “The Glass Bulb,” the main characters are more or less famous, people because of which, all of their well-being depends on Miles. He sponsors an election campaign, another his media promotion, and another his science projects. But the mysterious murder of one of the gang members leads to suspicions that they want to kill Miles. Whether or not this is the case is up to the detective on the island to unravel.

Pros

• A strong ensemble cast with vivid and memorable characters.
• A well-constructed detective plot that remains engaging throughout.
• Sharp humor and playful tone.
• Effective use of setting and atmosphere.
• Confident direction by Rian Johnson.

Cons

• The mystery does not surpass the original Knives Out.
• Some characters feel less emotionally engaging than in the first film.
• The plot structure may feel familiar to viewers expecting something radically new.

Final impressions

Overall, it was a lovely detective film, with stellar actors, great acting, a pretty good detective plot (which the first part didn’t beat, but that depends on your tastes), some stellar cameos (for a domestic audience, perhaps, only Serena Williams will be familiar), plus quite witty humor. And it’s also one of the first films to show people’s covid and post-covid lives, though not much.

Also, this is definitely one of the best movies that Netflix has released, even though it has nothing to do with making the script or the filming. Let’s hope that Ryan Johnson makes more than one more film, as he has proven to be a true professional at his job.