I am so glad I am a The Last Jedi defender because Rian Johnson is operating on a completely different level.
- Director – Rian Johnson
- Runtime – 144 minutes
- Certificate – 12A
- Country – United States
He has now gone three for three with this trilogy and this very well might be the best one. The first was universally loved and so was the second, but the second was more of a comedy than a drama and it seems he learnt from that. Wake Up Dead Man is a perfect blend of what came before and is Johnson working at his best.
The other two already deal with morals and the grey area of them, so when you throw in religion to the mix, it elevates it into the stratosphere.
The script has such a maturity and delicacy towards the matter. The way it deals with religion is beautiful and made me respect it with how it genuinely can affect people for the better. There are so many sincere moments, most notable when Josh O’Connor’s Jud takes a phone call to hear someone’s problems. Even though there’s a murder to solve and the time is ticking he still takes time to listen.
What also makes it work is that he is the main character. In the first, we follow Ana de Arma’s character as the events unfold with Craig in the background, but the second has Craig as the main character and we see it from his perspective. This one goes back to the former which makes the religious themes all the more personal.
Contrasting the sincerity, is the toxicity of how religion can be used in the wrong hands. In what is disguised as the words of Christ is one’s hatred. All the films make some commentary on right-winged ideologies and here is no different, with Daryl McCormack’s Cy Draven. A grifter influencer using religion to weaponise his views.
What sells this whole depiction of religion and faith is Josh O’Connor. What a star he is. Such a beautiful performance showcasing anger, guilt and forgiveness. Again, contradicting this is the performance of Daniel Craig. His beliefs and moral compass has always been a big part of his character, and here it’s explored even further.
An Atheist detective and Priest make for an unbelievable duo.
The whole ensemble is great, even if underutilised. When you have a talent like Andrew Scott and side-line him like this, it is quite annoying. However, I am willing to forgive that because it suits best the narrative that Johnson is telling.
The film is easily the most visually appealing out of the three. Its gothic surroundings and ambient lighting create for an enticing atmosphere. Seriously, I could not look away. The use of colours here is incredible, especially the scene with Annie Hamilton’s Grace in the church. The film isn’t particularly shot that uniquely but yet it is so captivating. Just a simple dolly push and I was hooked, or the framing with characters in certain windows. However, what shines through is the editing – mainly in the third act. The fragmented quick cuts when O’Connor is in the woods is disorienting yet so clear. Everything about this film is so captivating.
Wake Up Dead Man is a complexity in many ways from the way it deals with religion and faith with its cleverly delicate and witty script, the actual murder itself, and to the simple yet captivating shooting techniques. Paired with beautiful and conflicting performances by O’Connor and Craig, it’s hard to deny this as not only the best Knives Out but possibly in Johnson’s career.
Wake Up Dead Man is now playing in select cinemas and comes out on Netflix December 12.