PG-13 | 2h 24m | Drama, Comedy, Mystery, Thriller | 2025
With the release of “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” (“Wake Up”), writer and director Rian Johnson has done something very few filmmakers have ever achieved. He’s made three straight live-action franchise movies (“Knives Out” was followed by “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”) that have received de facto universal critical acclaim and overwhelming audience approval.
Other franchises don’t match this achievement. The first “Star Wars” trilogy (Episodes IV to VI) had different directors. The “Lord of the Rings” (“LOTR”) trilogy had just one director (Peter Jackson) and wowed critics and audiences the world over, but left me with an overwhelming feeling of indifference. Also, director Johnson’s trilogy is an original work and “LOTR” is an adaptation.
Blanc Versus Bond
Pegged to portray Blanc long before Craig’s final appearance in the James Bond franchise (“No Time To Die”), Craig was the perfect match of leading man and filmmaker. It also ensured that Craig would likely not fall prey to problematic post-007 typecasting.The ensemble cast in “Wake Up” might be perhaps the best of the lot. I say this because I didn’t notice that the Blanc character didn’t show up until nearly 40 minutes after the movie started. This is highly unusual.
The principal reason Blanc wasn’t missed was the casting of Josh O’Connor as Rev. Jud. The cleric was recently transferred to a parish in Chimney Rock, New York, with a rapidly dwindling flock. The herd is being thinned by longtime Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin), an autocratic, fire-and-brimstone sort who shames parishioners during his sermons through moral browbeating.
Church Lady
As diehard as these “civilians” are, none can hold a candle to Martha (Glenn Close). A textbook “church lady,” Martha has been a confidant to the Wicks family for three generations and will “go down with the ship” if need be. She’s also the apple of the eye of Samson (Thomas Haden Church), the church’s groundskeeper. Rounding out the principal cast is Mila Kunis as local police chief Geraldine.
As with the previous two installments, “Wake Up” is presented out of sequence and with scenes repeated from differing points of view. This storytelling device takes what is initially a semi-confusing narrative and eventually hones it and makes it watertight. There are no red herrings or false leads, and before all is said and done, every clue adds up. The movie absolutely begs to be rewatched multiple times.
Before it was even over, I started to think of what possible objections could be raised by various groups, citing disrespect of organized religion; this is easy to understand. But this is not the case.
The movie is not criticizing religion itself but rather calls into question the misuse of power by bad clerics and officers of the church leveled on often impressionable, blind-faith parishioners. Members of religious sects look to their leaders, whom they view as conduits to the divine, for spiritual guidance. In the wrong hands and with ill intent, these “leaders” are little more than maniacal and misguided egotists. They abuse their power with little concern for their followers’ welfare or spirituality.
O’Connor, the Star-in-Waiting
If there was an annual movie industry “MVP” award, O’Connor would win it this year. “Wake Up” is the fourth 2025 feature where he plays the lead or colead role, and all of the movies and his performances in them are stupendous.O’Connor is lacking what most people would consider to be typical leading-man good looks. This offers further evidence that he has true staying power and can handle a plethora of characters and styles.
It was Johnson’s intent to make the “Knives Out” films as a trilogy, and I hope he sticks to that plan. He, with Craig as his only constant, came up with three superb mysteries, and all of them worked like a charm.
There’s no need to push his luck by tempting fate and risking failure. He should quit while he’s ahead.
