Rian Johnson absolutely nailed this Agatha Christie thing.
The director's sequel to 2019's hit detective Knives Out, Glass Bow: The Knives Out Mystery surpasses its strong predecessor in every way.
Of course, many of you already know this, as Netflix gave The Glass Bow a week-long theatrical run for Thanksgiving, which is believed to have grossed around $15 million. For many, it's a real mystery why the streaming giant decided to give the film such prominence – The Glass Bow not only had massive exposure, but a top cast – in just a few days in theaters.
However, Ark of the Glass will finally be available to Netflix subscribers this Christmas weekend, and there's a treat for them.
Along with Johnson and some behind-the-scenes staff, the link between Knives Out and Bow of Glass is Benoit Blanc, the master detective played by Daniel Craig – a counterpart to Johnson's Hercule Poirot, who was Christie's Master of Detectives.
In May 2020, a month after the novel coronavirus pandemic broke out, the Glass Onion was a tough test for poor Benoit. He spends a lot of time in the bathroom with some famous friends – the first of several wonderful guest appearances in the film – and tries to entertain himself by playing mystery games with him on the computer. (Like "hint", it doesn't do very well because it's too easy.)
He admitted to his virtual friends that he "screams" during work.
"My brain is a race car full of gas," he said in a popular drill, "and I have nowhere to drive."
Everything changes when they are invited to a game of homicide detectives on a remote Greek island. Billionaire businessman Miles Bronn (Edward Norton, Fight Club) throws a lavish but intimate party for some of his old friends, as the detectives see him as a sworn enemy with an excuse to hit Miles.
One of them is now an open enemy: Miles' former business partner, Cassandra "Andy" Brand (Janelle Monáe). Miles and Andy have a bad breakup that leads to a lawsuit, and Miles sticks them with fraudulent papers, including some very important handkerchiefs.
However, the rest are dependent on Miles' financial support in one way or another: Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton Broadway), Miles' chief scientist, who deplores all but some of his boss's crazy ideas. of them are very profitable; Birdie J (Kate Hudson, "Almost Famous"), a fashion designer-turned-supermodel with an unusual flair for social media posts; Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn, Wandavision), candidate for governor of Connecticut and US Senate; and Duke Cody (Dave Bautista, Guardians of the Galaxy), a slow streamer.
As young people, they all hang out at a bar called The Glass Bow, after Miles named his huge, luxurious, high-tech island home.
Along the way are Peg (Jessica Henwick, "Resurrection Matrix"), Birdie's perpetually frustrated assistant who confiscates her phone; and Whiskey (Madeleine Cline, Outer Banks), the guy's bubbly blonde girlfriend.
Oh, and let's not forget that Derrol (Rian Johnson, regular Noah Sagan), who works several cases on Miles Island and who Miles assures everyone, is not a part of it. (Hmmm.)
We quickly learn that as far as Miles is concerned, Benoit also has no intention of joining the celebration; apparently none other than a millionaire sent him an elaborate puzzle box containing an invitation to Miles' party. However, Miles is happy to have this world famous detective at the party and assures Benoit that he is always happy to help solve mysteries.
We have much more to say about what happened in and around The Glass Bow, but rest assured that Johnson's story is full of surprises and revelations.
As a screenwriter, he manages to pepper puzzles that you recognize but don't know what to do with, other clues that only seem obvious in hindsight and kick yourself for not having them.
He made Benoit a more likable main character by discovering the world of James Bond with Craig's help. With titles like Casino Royale, Skyfall, No Time to Die and some less interesting 007 adventures including Munich and Defiance, comedy isn't its forte, just a goofy spot. In fact, Craig's performance is even more impressive when he uncovers a mystery midway through the film.
The cast is solid, but it's Mona (Hidden Figures, Antebellum) who shines in second place, thanks to a character we don't want to talk about. Remember that this particular bow has multiple layers.
Ultimately, Johnson peels back the layers of this self-created tumult. While many of us aren't thrilled by his journey through the galaxy far, far away – 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi gets a little worse with each return visit – he's a supreme talent, as Brick's early work proves. (2005) and Bloom Brothers (2008). The Glass Bow is his best film since 2012, based on the time-traveling sci-fi thriller The Loop.
Following the success of Knives Out, Netflix acquired the rights to two sequels, the first being Bow of Glass.
Whatever the Netflix release reveals in the third Benoit Blanc mystery, we can't wait to see what twists and turns Johnson has in store for us.
Deep in the glass vault, when all was well with Benoit, the detective realized just how stupid he was exposed.
"It's so stupid, it's great!" Add a character
"No," he insisted, "that's stupid!"
Uh, smart.
Glass Bow: The Knife Mystery is rated PG-13 for profanity, violence, sex and drugs. Duration: 2 hours 19 minutes.
