The Knives Out franchise has certainly grown over the last three films. Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man: A Knives Out Mystery takes its inspiration from G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries. It’s a bit darker than the first two movies — Knives Out and Glᴀss Onion — but even as its focus turns towards religion and the perspectives of two very different priests, Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin) and Father Jud (Josh O’Connor), the film still centers on the theme of greed, with discussions of faith woven in.

Writer-director Rian Johnson moves away from Agatha Christie and into more of Edgar Alan Poe, but it’s the weakest of the three Knives Out movies. Though there’s a new group of characters, all with their own motives for killing Wicks, who’s much more of an ᴀsshole than Jud, despite the latter having a bit of a darker history before becoming a priest, they’re more thinly drawn than the previous installments. Their dynamics with each other aren’t as whipsmart or complex.

Even Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who’s still having a lot of fun playing the witty detective, is not as much of a central figure here. He’s a bit more muted than usual, likely because he’s not religious, and this is the most uncomfortable he’s been before working a case. Blanc remains enthusiastic, yet also more quietly observant. Granted, we don’t know what’s been going on in his life in the years since we last saw him, but some of the edge has certainly worn off.

The mystery still has its twists and turns, and they’re occasionally fun and clever, but something is missing, too. It’s like the film is trying to be reflective — about religion, the draw of power and money, and the people who abuse it — but it rings hollow. That groundedness of faith, however, is found in O’Connor’s character. Father Jud tries to do the best he can; he’s spiritual in a way no one else in the film is, and we root for that sincerity in faith to remain.

Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Ensemble Isn’t The Strongest

The Characters Lack A Deeper Level Of Interconnectedness

Blanc pairs up with Father Jud, and their relationship is one of the best parts of the film. They’re good together, with Blanc’s cynical approach to belief the opposite of Jud’s. And yet, the pair don’t ʙuтт heads about their perspectives, likely because Jud is more understanding. They click, and there’s an interesting need that Blanc has to protect Jud from people, including Geraldine (Mila Kunis), an officer working on the case. Craig and O’Connor have great chemistry and elevate every scene they’re in together.

It’s the other characters — save for the scene-chewing Josh Brolin, who’s believable as a radical priest who drives people away from his church, and Glenn Close’s Martha, a firm believer who has a history with the Wicks — who fall short. With a stupendous cast including Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, and Andrew Scott, among others, the film fails to give them more depth. Some of their motives make sense, while others feel like they’re simply around to be red herrings. More importantly, they’re underwritten, which adds to the lackluster feel this movie so often gives off.

The film might be a bit more serious than the previous two, but it’s still quite funny. Something dramatic will happen, but a beat later, the audience will be laughing. It’s a delicate balance that is maintained for the most part. And yet there are far more lulls than there is witty, acerbic dialogue. Johnson still keeps us on our toes, but the franchise has lost some of its footing with this one.

Despite its pitfalls, Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man is still enjoyable. It has its charming moments, there’s a lot to think about in terms of the story, and the cast is good, if not great, overall. It’s just hard to watch the movie and realize the mystery and excitement have waned.

Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man: A Knives Out Mystery premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. It will be in select theaters on November 26 and on Netflix on December 12.