‘Wake Up Dead Man’ – A killer good time

The murder mystery refuses to die. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery continues the stories of world-class detective Benoit Blanc, once again played by Daniel Craig. As if owning the modern-day depiction of classic literary character James Bond wasn’t enough, Craig’s insatiable appetite for the screen has granted him an iconic modernised version of a literary archetype. This time, Blanc finds his logic up against liturgy, as a crime is committed in a church.

Like the previous Knives Out mysteries, Wake Up Dead Man plays with classic tropes of the genre. At one point in the film, Blanc directly references the ways in which his current case contains elements found in a novel. Despite delving into this familiar foray, the film evolves the nature of this franchise and plays with its own format, particularly as it relates to its cast of suspects.

Whereas the last two stories revelled in the interrogation of a cast of colourful characters, the new film is a more personal story, focused on the journey of Josh O’Connor’s Father Jud, a Catholic priest with a violent past who goes toe-to-toe with Josh Brolin’s Monsignor Wicks. The two have opposing ideologies, with Jud preaching about peace, and Wicks, a holy hellfire.

Caught in the middle are the devoted parishioners, all of whom are played well enough, although Jeremy Renner feels more subdued than ever. The real star of the show is Rian Johnson’s direction, which brings forth some stupendous cinematography. The striking lighting and use of colour to complement the church’s cobblestone are compelling in nearly every frame.

Wake Up Dead Man is not just a good-looking film, but it’s funny as well. O’Connor and Craig are a wonderful pairing to watch, and the unfolding of the mystery is appropriately suspenseful. The film also doesn’t deny an emotional centre. Father Jud’s search for the meaning for the collar he wears around his neck is a moving journey, and brings a sense of gravitas to the already theatrical proceedings, that ought to be seen in the cinema.

Rating: Big Screen Watch.

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies. entertainment@gleanerjm.com