Wake Up Dead Man is the third installment of Knives Out film series
There are quite a few who like spy movies, suspense and psychological thrillers or horror flicks however everyone loves a spiced up whodunit. This murder mystery genre is eye candy for one and all, it draws you from the depths of your mind and leaves you biting your nails as the needle of suspicion keeps shifting from one character to the other.
We have had some great fictional detectives like Agatha Christie’s hero Hercule Poirot or the famous detective Sherlock Holmes penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. These were the detective heroes in literature from the 20th century European society who were then brought to life on celluloid in movies like Murder on Orient Express a classic Agatha that was ahead of its time, and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie about the villain Blackwood and his resuscitation from the dead.
These were much loved however we now have a saviour detective born on the silver screen and is our contemporary, who brings his own brand of funny unconventional sleuthing, he could be anyone but a detective, he also accepts defeat at the very last minute, just to catch the culprit off guard to finish on a crescendo.
Welcome our very own Bond, James Bond……….sorry, my bad. Welcome Benoit Blanc, Southerner of American origin with his third outing in this very successful Knives Out franchise now streaming on Netflix.
The story of Wake Up Dead Man begins when the Ministry of Church sends, a young novice boxer turned priest Jud (as punishment for boxing a Deacon), to Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a secluded parish in upstate New York as assistant pastor to an ageing priest who likes to be called Monsignor Jefferson. The old man is as eccentric as can be and spews venom in his Sunday sermons which some find it blasphemous however his select band of audience of this sleepy town has the wherewithal to stand it. His audience themselves are comprised of a motley bunch of wannabe and out of town characters, who have been ensnared by promises of miracle by the wily priest and are sharpening their knives.
Why is the priest so bitter? – has to do with his past, an inheritance supposed to have been left by his grandfather, which was promised to his mother but was never bestowed to her when the grandfather took the secret to his grave and mother much maligned destroyed the church in her rage and died out of shock.
Presently the fresh new pastor’s efforts to start things in fresh perspective are thwarted by the sly old man who predicts a miracle will happen on Easter Sunday. Death and resurrection of Monsignor Jefferson ala Blackwood style is when our flamboyant detective Blanc makes his appearance to solve the mystery. Anything further told will be a spoiler.
Blanc essayed by Daniel Craig which is very unlike his Bond characters. He is naughty, funny, sincere but not serious, is on his fours and works freely and sympathizes with the prime suspect as in previous outings. However he still comes out as stylish, iconic and suave. Josh Brolin as the old pastor is now adapt at playing boorish characters lately also reminding of Thanos.
Glen Close is terrifyingly terrific as the enigmatic Martha. Jeremy Renner as the drunk doc has under played. Mila Kunis is completely unrecognisable as the Police chief Geraldine Scott however she is sincere in her performance. Other characters are amenable. The church locale is eerie and uncanny at times.
The knives are still out only for Monsieur Benoit Blanc as I am sure the crowd would love to have more of his investigative outings. The film is released in cinema halls and is simultaneously streaming in Netflix (Running time 144 minutes).
– Review by PAWAN GUPTA
Cast of Wake Up Dead Man:
Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc
Josh O’Connor as Rev Jud Duplenticy
Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix
Josh Brolin as Msgr. Jefferson Wicks (Clergy member in the Church)
Annie Hamilton as Grace Wicks (Jefferson’s mother)
James Faulkner as Rev Prentice Wicks (Jefferson’s grandfather)
Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott (Investigating Officer)
Jeremy Renner as Dr Nathaniel Sharp
Kerry Washington as Vera Draven
Andrew Scott as Lee Ross
Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane
Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven
Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt (Church’s groundskeeper)
Jeffrey Wright as Langstrom (Bishop)
Credits of Wake Up Dead Man:
Production companies – T-Street Productions, Ram Bergman Productions
Written & Directed by Rian Johnson
Produced by Ram Bergman, Rian Johnson
Cinematography – Steve Yedlin
Edited by Bob Ducsay
Music by Nathan Johnson