Absolute Review: The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Is a layered mystery of twists and turns

By Shachi Chaturvedi

Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, and Kate Hudson, among others

Runtime: 2hr 19 mins

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a standalone movie that serves as a sequel to the 2019 movie Knives Out. This time, the tale concerns IT sector millionaire Miles Bron, who invites his friends to a getaway on a private Greek island. Detective Benoit Blanc is assigned to the investigation when death is uncovered.

Review

Miles Bron, a rich tech dude, is not nearly as smart as he believes. He gathers his close-knit gang, a diverse mix of individuals who shamelessly call themselves “The Disruptors”—once a year for a luxurious weekend getaway.

The movie begins with Miles sending his close pals an invitation in a puzzle box. The invitation is to stay on his own island for the weekend. A journey that was initially intended to be a joyful weekend filled with games and puzzles to solve, ends up being a deadly weekend. Miles, who has prepared a game about his fictitious murder, now fears for his life. Is it his delusion or do others genuinely wish to murder him?

The film is a trifle of secrets, with each layer being unique and both shocking and enjoyable. Although there are a lot of things happening in the movie, Rian Johnson, the filmmaker, and the writer work to keep the humour by framing odd events.

All of Mile’s close friends have a reason to murder him, but they are powerless to do it because of the mysteries he is hiding. Talking about the Glass Onion, its giant domed building.

Every single one of the star performances is outstanding in its own way. The irony of seeing Edward Norton as Mile is delightful. It’s entertaining to even consider him portraying a stupid role. He portrays the role so well that you never question whether to be impressed with his portrayal. The humour he adds in the performance is a clear delight.

The two characters with the most nuance are Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe. You can sense the anguish in the chats they have due to their profundity. Their character is the real backbone of the films.

Although the other characters in the movie are all significant and well-played, Kate Hudson deserves special recognition. Oh my God, that woman is incredible. Her character provides the bulk of the movie’s humour, and Kate’s performance is phenomenal. She reacts to circumstances a little louder and realises things a little later than usual, which makes this movie a lot better.

Talking about the technicalities, the film is a good watch, somewhere a visual treat but lacks editing. The plot has a complex build-up, yet the conclusion seems rather predestined. It seems like this movie might truly be mind-blowing with tighter screenplay editing and a crisper ending.

Getting to the soundtrack and songs in movies. Despite the fact that there aren’t many songs in the film because it’s a mystery, it has a strong soundtrack that helps to heighten the tension.

Johnson’s mystery doubles back on itself to disclose more information about these folks we thought we’d gotten to know, which results in a sloppy middle. The result seems boring.

But in the end, Miles’ mansion’s enormous glass onion serves as an all-too-apt metaphor for the entire film: Beautiful but shallow

Conclusion

Despite being predictable, the film manages to keep your attention till the very end. It is a good watch if you want to laugh and chill.