Film Review: Glass Onion Dir. Rian Johnson (2022)
Film Still from Glass Onion (2022)
Written by Belle McIntyre
There should be a specific name for this genre of film. The key ingredients are a captive assemblage of characters from seemingly disconnected and disparate backgrounds. Location is usually a key ingredient under the control of a master manipulator. There must be strange goings on, layers of deception, an aura of dread, murders and, of course, a detective. It is a template that has been used for dozens of wonderful murder mysteries and odd detective stories.
Rian Johnson has filled in all those categories with maximal aplomb revisiting the charming southern detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), a luxurious pleasure palace on a private Greek island, owned by the mysterious tycoon, Miles Bron (Edward Norton), who has invited a select group of friends for an annual event. We get an early hint of the trickery ahead with the challenging puzzle of the invitation which involves all of the invitees comparing notes in order to decipher the invite. The guests are as eclectic as it gets; including a lady governor (Kathryn Hahn), a brilliant scientist (Leslie Odom Jr.), a terrifying gun-toting, muscle-bound, tattoed thug (Dave Bautista), former fashion model turned designer (Kate Hudson), and Cassandra Brand (Janelle Monae). The estate is very Hollywood meets Las Vegas in its design esthetic. And not the least important is the stolen painting of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre.
Early on, the rules of the game are laid out. The murder is predicted and the guests are tasked with uncovering it. All the characters are satirical architypes given witty dialogue and preposterous hoops to go through. Most of the connections are revealed. But frankly, it barely mattered as the layers of puzzles begin to blur the chances of detangling the mystery. Since the journey is so fast paced, and the production and costume design so glamorous, plot seems irrelevant. Best just to go along for the visual ride. Good news is that there may be a sequel to the sequel for detective Benoit Blanc in the near future. By the way, Daniel Craig’s southern drawl is so sly it is worth the price of admission, along with a kick-ass performance by Janelle Monáe. It is a larky ride.
