Returning to the world of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out (2019) is like running into the arms of the safest loved one you know, an ironic sentiment for a film series about murder. Now, I am elated to be back in its embrace. 

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) was, without a doubt, one of the most sought-after screenings at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. With seven public screenings available for festival-goers to choose from, there were still plenty of people who didn’t catch the film because anticipation was that high, especially since this marked the third Knives Out movie to have its world premiere at TIFF. As an enormous fan of this unconventional whodunit series, there was no way I was going to miss this movie. 

While I didn’t get to check going to the premiere screening off my TIFF bucket list, Wake Up Dead Man ended up being my final film of the festival, which was a welcome treat because, like the previous two films, it was an absolute blast. This third installment is a perfect blend of both Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) that will surely satisfy fans of both films. Wake Up Dead Man may not be the best of the three films, but Johnson crafts what is easily the franchise’s strongest and most engaging mystery yet. 

Johnson’s latest whodunit features another slate of A-list actors who all seem to be having a blast, even if they get less than 10 minutes of total screentime. Wake Up Dead Man sees Daniel Craig return as the loveable Southern master Detective, Benoit Blanc. Newcomers to the franchise include Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Thomas Haden Church, Daryl McCormack, Jeremy Renner, Cailee Speany, and Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, the eventual victim in this deeply complex murder (he says with a long southern drawl). 

Johnson has always struggled to balance his A-list cast, mainly due to the sheer volume of characters he includes in his movies. Traditionally, in these films, he selects one star to co-lead with Craig, leaving the rest to get lost in the commotion.. In Knives Out, Ana De Armas served as Blanc’s junior investigator, and in Glass Onion, it was Janelle Monáe. In Wake Up Dead Man, Blanc’s partner in truth is O’Connor – a young Reverand named Jud Duplencity. Reverend Duplencity, a recent member of the Catholic Church, is sent to assist a small parish that hasn’t grown past its dedicated flock due to the radical preachings of the head of the parish, Monsignor Wicks. 

It may surprise audiences to learn that Craig’s Benoit Blanc doesn’t show up until roughly 45 minutes into Wake Up Dead Man, as the film’s first act is primarily focused on O’Connor and the rest of Monsignor Wicks’s followers. We learn a lot about the parish before Blanc enters the picture. Still, when he does, we’re no more ahead of the mystery than he is, which keeps the film incredibly engaging and differentiates it from the previous two films. 

Another aspect that distinguishes Wake Up Dead Man from Knives Out and Glass Onion is the genuinely well-crafted mystery at its centre, which culminates in a wildly satisfying third act. Every character has a strong motive, including Reverand Duplencity, and it could be any of them; the murder of Monsignor Wicks was mysteriously committed right in front of everyone, with the assailant nowhere in sight. As Benoit Blanc states multiple times throughout the movie, this truly is an “impossible crime” that will keep you guessing right up until the very final reveal.  

O’Connor easily steals the show, but he almost has an unfair advantage due to the amount of screen time he has compared to everyone else. Craig is just as sharp as he’s ever been in the role of Blanc, but it would be interesting to get to know more about Blanc outside of a mystery if Johnson decides to continue the series, which I sincerely hope he does. Another standout is, shockingly, Close, who steals scenes left and right and brings in one of the biggest laughs in the movie. Unfortunately, Johnson wasn’t able to find a few standout moments for the rest of his cast, because talented actors like Scott and Speaney are significantly underused. 

The score from Johnson’s brother, Nathan Johnson, who scored the previous two Knives Out films, is somewhat lackluster, especially when compared to his past work on the franchise. Wake Up Dead Man may also be lighter on the gothic imagery than I wanted, but some strikingly gothic camera shots absolutely stand out, even if they are few and far between. 

Johnson more than makes up for the lack of gothic imagery, though, because where he really strikes gold is with the religious commentary. It’s equally fascinating as the central mystery and crucial to the success of his storytelling. Johnson expertly walks the line to ensure he offers a nuanced approach to the subject matter. Needless to say, he nails it. 

My few complaints aside, Johnson really knocked Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery out of the park. While not the strongest of the trilogy, each entry is strong in its own way, as Johnson takes his time to create something fresh for the audience, allowing Knives Out as a brand to remain exciting and unique. That being said, I wouldn’t complain if Johnson and Craig wanted to release a Knives Out movie every single year. 

Review Courtesy of Ethan Dayton

Feature Image Courtesy of TIFF