Puñales por la espalda: De entre los muertos

I travelled about 300 miles to my first film festival screening for the chance to see this movie early and I can honestly say that it was time and money well spent. I've been excited about and following these movies from the moment the first Knives Out was announced and it's given me nothing but complete satisfaction. Watching all 3 movies in quick succession only further confirmed my love for them. Even if I think Wake Up Dead Man is my least favourite of the bunch I still loved the experience it provides and maybe more so than the first two movies I can't wait to rewatch it just to catch on to the next embarrassing amount of details in almost every scene.

Something I love about what Johnson does with these movies is that he creates a wholly different experience with every new entry. It's part of their lasting appeal and I quickly gave up on any notion that I was going to correctly predict anything because it's a script that I have no shame in admitting is a lot smarter than I am. It's unbelievably dense, even more so than I expected, and even if that occasionally comes to the films detriment I was just actively excited to see how everything was going to tie together because I had no reason to expect this movie to take a single misstep on a story level.

Wake Up Dead Man is decidedly different from its predecessors and in ways that never felt gimmicky. There's even more moral complexity this time around to the point where I could see their being a real discussion around the justifications of certain characters which is not something I could say to the same degree for the other films. It's actually quite thoughtful it's commentary on religion and people of faith without ever being afraid to poke fun at the absurdity of the situations it's presenting and it thankfully never felt cheap. It is absolutely hilarious in how the jokes sneak up on you and it was so unbelievably satisfying to watch this movie with an audience which is another one of the mountain of reasons I'm unbelievably frustrated that these movies have been relegated to Netflix.

Wake Up Dead Man feels considerably plot focused and I did feel that sometimes came at the expense of the characters. They're appropriately colourful and fun to watch that I felt were developed the least so far. I loved the proxy-protagonist of Josh O'Connor this time around and I was really happy with the complex backstory they gave his character. He plays of Daniel Craig so well and just like the first two movies he's the main point of investment for the entire narrative. I loved Glenn Close in how mysterious she is and I so enjoyed how unhinged Josh Brolin's character and performance was. The rest of the characters didn't feel that compelling to me but they all get their moments to shine and as always it's just a delight to see this many actors of this calibre on screen together.

I also think the film is lacking a little bit of something that sets it apart from the rest of murder mystery genre. Both Knives Out and Glass Onion had structures that set them apart and feel entirely their own. While this movie isn't entirely linear it's a lot more linear than I expected. I kept expecting to film to make a turn that changed things but instead it ends up feeling like a story we might have seen before but executed to the highest level of quality possible. I also cannot overstate how packed this script is with details but I don't know that I can always say it was for the better. The first 30 minutes in particular throw a lot at you and it doesn't end up feeling like intrigue or tension building but just like a lot of information that left me feeling overwhelmed. I think it takes a bit too long for the story to introduce Benoit Blanc and the slight worry I have is that some of these sections might drag on rewatch knowing where everything goes but that doesn't stop my desire to go back to this movie again in the slightest.

Wake Up Dead Man sits comfortably next to the other Knives Out movies and even despite its shortcomings it doesn't change any desire I have to see Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson make countless more mysteries. It totally stands on its own as a new experience and it's going to take at least a few watches to catch every little clue that Rian Johnson weaves into the narrative and I'll happily go back to this movie to discover them. A great movie and a great experience and I'll be so excited to see what Johnson does next whatever it ends up being.

Wake Up Dead Man really surprised me. I will admit I was not a huge fan of the first two films, but this new Knives Out installment is a much different beast. It still has plenty of laugh out loud moments, but the tone tends to take a more serious approach than the other two films.

It may not be the best film of the year, but I still really enjoyed this film and about 90% of that is due to Josh O'connor. He gives a fantastic performance here and unlike the first two Knives Out, Daniel Craig takes somewhat of a backseat here.

The runtime of the film is a bit longer than it needs to be but overall it does everything right from the cinematography to the score and witty script. If you love murder mysteries like me, Wake Up Dead Man is an absolute must watch even though its definitely not a film that must be seen on the big screen.

This is the third Knives Out film and whilst perhaps it doesn't hit the mad heights of ingenuity of Glass Onion, it's still highly watchable and way better than the recent Hercule Poirot films of Kenneth Branagh. Josh O'Connor is surprisingly good as the troubled young priest who becomes deeply disturbed at what he sees in the parish he is sequestered to after hitting another priest. He finds himself charged with murder and only Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) believes he is innocent. In true Knives Out fashion, everyone is a suspect and Blanc has to unravel the truth in his own inimitable way.

A great cast has fun playing some truly disturbing characters, especially Glenn Close as the borderline unhinged Martha. Blanc arrives about a third of the way into the story leaving Josh O'Connor plenty of room to shine as the naive but not stupid Father Jud. He finds the idyllic parish he is sent to to be anything but, full of strange eccentrics who don't trust him. Of course once Blanc arrives to try and piece together a story that at one point even he admits he doesn't understand then things get even more interesting.

What I like about this film, and the two Benoit Blanc films that came before, is that it is almost like a 21st century Colombo episode (except without telling you who teh guilty culprit is at the beginning). Craig's eccentric performance as Blanc might be irritating in the hands of a lesser actor and its a role he has grown into. Surrounding him with well known actors playing against type is a masterstroke and helps sell it even more.

Wake Up Dead Man is the third in the series so far and the second of a two picture deal director Rian Johnson agreed with Netflix. I really hope we get more Benoit Blanc films, preferably with another distributor as these films deserve a proper theatrical release rather than the limited one Netflix (very reluctantly) agreed to. You don't need to be a genius to realize that they are relatively inexpensive (by movie standards) to make, have a loyal (if older) audience who appreciate originality over bloated visual excess (such as the first two Branagh Poirot films) and love the dark humour these films serve. Actors want to be in them, Johnson and Craig want to do more of them and the public want to watch them. It's not rocket science!

Absolutely brilliant, from the info-packed in-media-res letter, to the acute socio-political implications, to the tortuous twists and developments, to the holy light thrice reilluminating the children of Christ. Director and writer Rian Johnson proves not once, not twice, but three times why he is the master of murder mystery in modern cinema through Knives Out, Glass Onion, and lastly, Wake Up Dead Man.

Right off the bat, the flippant and distressing strings, the grandiose and stage-like architecture, and the group of storyful suspects immediately take us back into the Knives Out universe. Yet, unlike the first's unorthodox unfolding of truth or the second's unexpected shadow investigator, Wake Up Dead Man is a downright conventional Agatha Christie detective, with the puzzle's structure and intricacy reminiscent of Honkaku mysteries and an added undertone of Edgar Allan Poe's gothic influence. Needless to say, this is the biggest mystery of the trilogy, whether its span over several decades, the heavy involvement of every character, or the multiple twists while we're still clueless about the first. And yet, this colossal mist of impossibility also makes Blanc's field investigation and deduction even more thrilling and engaging, as the audience ventures along with the detective in decrypting the unreliable narrations and myths.

The backstory of the case also differentiates it from the previous two, not just stemming from a simple conflict of interest, but fundamental hatred, whether greed or pride-induced or interpersonal and impulsive. In a world where hatred is so calcified, institutionalized, and weaponized, Wake Up Dead Man preaches cordiality and sincerity through the saintly Jud. Bravo to Rian Johnson and Josh O'Connor for pulling off the incredible phone call scene, where our sentimental and dubious protagonist becomes the undeniable hero through his "save the cat" moment. Religion is such a difficult element to incorporate because it can't be satirized or trifled with like old/new money, politics, and the entertainment industry in the previous two films; even with 2025 years of Catholicism, Johnson still boldly gives his interpretation of religion, landing on storytelling and its power to heal (an amazing callback and contrast to the use of narrative trickery in the murder). In the end, as the cliche but extremely touching death-in-the-arm scene moralizes, we must see "Grace" in the harl*t wh*re - hate, but don't take grudge. That is the true inheritance of Christ.

Despite my disinterest in nowadays spin-offs and sequels, the Knives Out Mysteries is the one saga I would like to see continue. Definitely a film I'd recommend and definitely one I'd rewatch.

I saw this movie on the opening night of the Philadelphia Film Festival, which explains why I saw it before it will be released to Netflix in November.

"Wake Up Dead Man" is pretty typical of Rian Johnson's two previous Knives Out films. First, it has a pretty amazing cast. Second, it does make fun of MAGA people. And, third, it's terrific is pretty much every way.

The setting for this one is most unusual...a small, dying Catholic church. But once Father Jud Duplenticy arrives at this new post, he's shocked to see that the Monsignor is evil and has created a small, nasty clique or cult within his dying congregation. The common thing that binds these people is a general hatred for mankind...making it not exactly the nicest church you could attend. As a result, the well meaning and decent Father is stumped as to what to do...and it's made worse when the Monsignor physically assaults him and encourages his cult to hate the Father! So, it's not at all surprising when the Monsignor is found murdered during a church service...and it appears is if the killing was impossible. This is where Benoit Blanc enters the story and, frankly, he's really stumped!

The writing and acting are just about perfect. Some might dislike the film because they might see it as an attack on religion, though I think this isn't necessarily fair. The Father IS a good man...the sort Rian Johnson seemed to indicate he wishes he had growing up in an evangelical household (we heard about this during the Q&A following the film). All in all, a most enjoyable film....one I nearly scored a 10.