“Wake Up Dead Man” marks the third entry in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” saga, an expansion that feels almost accidental. The first film was a sharp, self-contained mystery—a clever modern riff that didn’t necessarily call for sequels. However, audiences fell hard for Benoit Blanc, and Johnson clearly had more tricks up his sleeve, making Blanc an unlikely cinematic tradition.
This time, the spotlight shifts to Jud Duplenticy, portrayed with astonishing conviction by Josh O’Connor. Jud is a young priest with ambition in one pocket and old habits in the other. A former boxer with a hair-trigger temper, he finds himself reassigned to Chimney Rock after a fight with a fellow clergyman. There, he is paired with Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), a man whose icy grip on the congregation is wrapped in a facade of righteousness. Their ideologies clash instantly—Jud wants to nurture the congregation, while Wicks seeks to command it.
The movie finds its spark in the early scenes, which soon turn into a fire. Wicks is discovered stabbed to death in a locked room beside the pulpit, leaving Police Chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) feeling overwhelmed and out of her depth. Although Benoit Blanc eventually arrives—smooth and deliberate as ever—Johnson makes the bold choice to delay Daniel Craig’s entrance until nearly the 40-minute mark.
Thankfully, the film never loses momentum. The parish is filled with sharply written, quietly eccentric characters who keep the tension simmering. Dr. Nat (Jeremy Renner), musician Simone (Cailee Spaeny), lawyer Vera (Kerry Washington), YouTuber Cy (Daryl McCormack), and author Lee (Andrew Scott) all bring their own secrets and suspicions into play, while church secretary Martha (Glenn Close) hovers like a devoted sentinel, having pledged her life to the Monsignor and his every need. Their presence transforms Chimney Rock into an entire ecosystem of motives, egos, and buried wounds.
By the time Blanc arrives, the mystery already feels like a living organism—shaped by faith, resentment, hypocrisy, and small-town pressures. It’s in this context that the film could have easily succumbed to the usual threequel fatigue: bigger cast, thinner storytelling, and overly broad satire. However, Josh O’Connor refuses to let that happen. His Jud is wounded yet striving, volatile yet sincere, and the depth he brings to the role gives the entire narrative an intense center of gravity.
Johnson scales back the lavish tone of “Glass Onion” and returns to a more intimate setting. Chimney Rock becomes a site where belief and control collide, allowing Johnson to explore themes of religious manipulation and political radicalization without turning the movie into a sermon. The mystery unfolds with Johnson’s signature mix of homage and misdirection—while some twists stretch believability, the emotional current remains strong.
If the first “Knives Out” film emphasized discovery and the second focused on spectacle, “Wake Up Dead Man” dives into introspection. It’s a darker, more grounded installment—one that earns its place in the series by prioritizing character over gimmick.
Final Grade: B+
“Wake Up Dead Man” is available to stream on Netflix tomorrow.
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