When the award winning, expectation shattering Knives Out was released in theaters in 2019, I immediately knew I would never find a thriller as great. In 2 hours and 10 minutes, director and screenwriter Rian Johnson created a shocking, unique murder mystery that left me on the edge of my seat. With a spectacular and unforeseeable twist, the movie’s already considered a classic

I assumed the story would end there. 

Rian Johnson had other plans however, when, on September 10, 2022, he released the sequel Glass Onion. 

Before watching the movie, I had two thoughts: Glass Onion would never reach the same cinematic heights as its predecessor, and for that reason, I should set my expectations as low as possible.

I’m surprised, but glad to say, I was wrong.

While Glass Onion has a nearly completely new cast, Johnson uses the same detective as its predecessor, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). However, in Johnson’s newer film, Blanc takes the role as the main protagonist rather than a threat to the previous protagonist, Marta Cabrera.

This choice of taking Blanc out of the background and putting him into the spotlight allows the audience to latch on to the one familiar character in this new story and watch as events unfold through Blanc’s perspective. Although this choice pulls the focus away from the rest of the cast of characters (a.k.a the suspects), there is surprisingly no issue with getting to know them, both as people and as suspects of the crime. 

This leaves us with a crime, a colorful cast of characters who all have their own colorful motives, and Benoit Blanc, who we are using to navigate the absurdity of the story. 

It feels as though Glass Onion was written as a direct contrast to Knives Out. The 2019 film was set in autumn with warm tones as its aesthetic, while this movie is set in a warm, cool summer in Greece. While Knives Out’s murder was tricky, complex, and complicated, Glass Onion subverts our expectations yet again. 

The phrase ‘glass onion’ refers to something that appears to have many layers, when in fact the truth was always visible. This film takes this meaning and runs with it. When we think that one element of the story is complicated and layered, the truth stares us right in the face. 

Other than Blanc, there is another element that this duology shares. Once the credits roll, and you can see your reflection through the pitch black screen, every little piece of the puzzle comes together and you feel like a fool for not noticing it sooner. 

This film is worth the watch.