First reviews for Knives Out sequel Glass Onion say Daniel Craig’s ‘masterful murder mystery’ is better than original

Even though it is still a month away from release, the first reviews for Rian Johnson’s murder mystery Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are out. And they are largely positive. The critics have hailed the film for its tone, smart writing, and the screen presence of its star Daniel Craig. A few critics have criticised the film, saying it falls flat as compared to the first part but by and large, the word is in the film’s favour so far. Also read: Glass Onion trailer: Daniel Craig is back for new Knives Out mystery, fans react

Glass Onion sees the return of Daniel’s fictional detective Benoit Blanc as he attempts to solve another murder. Rounding up the all-star ensemble cast are Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline, and Dave Bautista. The film currently has a fresh score of 93% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 132 reviews.

The critics have praised the film’s mystery and ability to keep the audience guessing. AO Scott, the critic for New York Times, wrote, “I can’t say much about what happens in Glass Onion without giving away some surprises, but I can say that some of the pleasure comes from being wrong about what will happen next.” Independent critic Peri Nemiroff called it ‘another masterful murder mystery from Rian Johnson’. He added, “Just like the first film, Glass Onion will warrant multiple viewings to fully soak in the wild amount of precision and passion that went into the film.”

Many critics even said that Glass Onion was better than the first part Knives Out, which came out in 2019. Matt Singher of ScreenCrush wrote, “As entertaining as the first Benoit Blanc mystery was, I think this one is slightly better.” Jake Wilson, writing for The Age, compared the director to Wes Anderson and Christopher Nolan. “Johnson sits midway between Wes Anderson and Christopher Nolan, while being much breezier and more likeable than either. Glass Onion is as irresistibly entertaining as all his work, though not lacking in layers of ambiguity if you look for them,” he wrote in his review.

Not everyone was convinced with the film though. A few critics found faults as well. Kevin Maher, critic for UK’s Times, called it “a serious case of sequelitis — it’s bigger, louder, emptier.” Anthony Lan of New Yorker said he found the film ‘cold’. “It is shiny with mischief, crafted with guile, and performed with eager wit… Why, then, should the whole enterprise feel so curiously thin and cold to the touch,” read his review.

Glass Onion had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and is scheduled for a one-week limited theatrical release from November 23. It will begin streaming on Netflix from December 23.