By Austin Price, Staff Writer
In November of 2019, a new film of a lesser-known genre shocked the world with its intricate plot, star-studded cast, and complex writing. This film was Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. Featuring A-list actors including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, and Jamie Lee Curtis; Knives Out is a murder mystery masterpiece with unexpected plot twists, elaborate details, and clever character development. Knives Out brought new life to a seemingly dead genre of murder mysteries while also incorporating dark comedy and thriller crime.
Knives Out was heavily recognized for its talents and took home accolades including winning the Academy Award for Writing (Original Screenplay) (2020) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (2020). Knives Out was also nominated for a plethora of awards and both the actors and writers were nominated in various categories.
Because of the immense success held by Knives Out, the anticipated sequel, Glass Onion, was predicted to flop and the expectations were low. However, Glass Onion shocked the academy and delighted audience members with an excellent story and newly fueled cast, led by returning actor from the first film, Daniel Craig.
Glass Onions made its debut in 2022. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022, Glass Onion began a one-week limited theatrical release on November 23, 2022, receiving the widest theatrical release ever for a Netflix film and grossing $15 million; Netflix began streaming it on December 23. This astounding level of success was well deserved as Rian Johnson once again delivered a well-orchestrated story with the perfect mix or humor, mystery, and ironic comedy.
As a true crime addict and murder mystery fanatic, Glass Onion was on the top of my list of movies to watch. Luckily, Glass Onion reached my Netflix account amidst Christmas break, making it a perfect time to watch, appreciate and analyze this fabulous film.
Rian Johnson introduced a new cast led by Daniel Craig and involving Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monae, Leslie Odem Jr, Dave Bautista. Madelyn Cline, Jessica Henwick, and many more. This cast is comprised of actors, athletes, musicians, and most of all, storytellers. As a movie lover, this menagerie of actors was both exciting and entertaining. Each actor involved brought skills and characteristics to some of the most unlikeable characters, also known as disruptors, that made us both love and hate them at the same time.
In simple words, Glass Onion can be summarized as a story where a tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case. However, this seemingly simple summary is anything but simple and the amount of easter eggs, inside jokes, and Knives Out callbacks keep the audience on the edge of their seats until the credits roll.
Glass Onion, the movie’s unique title
Glass Onion’s very first Easter egg is in its title. “Glass Onion” is also a Beatles song that can be found in the band’s self-titled tenth studio album most popularly known as “The White Album." With lyrics such as “Lady Madonna trying to make ends meet” and “The walrus was Paul," “Glass Onion” pokes fun at fans that are constantly trying to look for hidden meanings behind the band’s songs, telling us that sometimes, things that seem deep and complex can be quite simple and see-through – much like Miles Bron (Edward Norton) and his mysteries. The reference to the song can also have something to do with the movie’s intent of showing the truth behind the obscenely rich and famous, as one of the verses says, “Looking through the bent backed tulips/To see how the other half live." This easter egg is directly addressed as an intentional reference in the movie’s end credits where the song is featured.
Celebrity Cameos
Continuing into the first scene of the movie, we open to witness Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) killing time during the COVID-19 initial lockdown by playing the hit game, Among Us, with some famous faces. Sitting in his bathtub, Benoit has a two-screen setup, one of which shows a Zoom chat between him, actress Angela Lansbury, Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, actress Natasha Lyonne, and basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
One thing all these stars have in common is their connection to murder mystery content in pop culture. After retiring from basketball, Abdul-Jabbar wrote a series of novels based on Sherlock Holmes’ brother, Mycroft. Natasha Lyonne is set to star in Rian Johnson’s upcoming Peacock murder mystery series Poker Face. One of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest plays is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; and one of Angela Lansbury's best-known performances is as Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote. These group of murder mystery enthusiasts are also recognized in their screen names on Among Us with Sondheim’s alias as FleetSt, and Lansbury’s as MSheSolved.
Up next is one of my favorite celebrity cameos in the movie which is that of Hugh Grant. The British actor appears briefly as Phillip, a character that was later confirmed by Grant himself to be Benoit Blanc’s husband. With one of Daniel Craig’s most famous roles being that of James Bond, the summary and takeaway of audience members is that Hugh Grant is married to James Bond. Good for him, I think a lot of us would love to be married to a mega rich, very attractive, worldwide super spy. Relationship goals in my opinion.
Puzzle Boxes and Clues
As the character’s receive their invitations to Bron’s party in the form of complex puzzles, we see a rather harrowing and infamous symbol. After Miles' friends complete his game box, they find an invitation to his private island in Greece. What's interesting about the card is there's a symbol of an evil eye, or a mati, which has had different meanings throughout history. Its inclusion could be a connection to Greece, where the film takes place. It could also be because the symbol is worn to ward off evil and may be a reference to how the so-called disruptors group, the name Miles gives his friends, protects Miles and helps keep him in power.
While the presentation is intricate, the puzzle boxes are actually very simple, essentially dumbing down clever games and mind tricks to better suit the intelligence level of the disruptors. When Miles’ guests all receive their intricately designed mystery box, it appears to be an array of mentally taxing puzzles. However, one of the games is a telling reveal that Miles isn’t the genius he pretends to be. In the chess box, the pieces are set to what’s known as “Fool’s Mate,” one of the least complicated and easiest positions to score a checkmate.
Incorporating COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic brought countless hardships to most of the world. However, the use of facemasks in Glass Onion clearly demonstrates the different stereotypes, both good and bad, that have come forth because of the pandemic. The way each of the characters wear their mask tells us a lot about their personalities. Lionel’s (Leslie Odom Jr.) properly-fitted, sober black mask is a clear indicator of his science-oriented mind. It’s the mask of a man that knows just how severe this pandemic is. Meanwhile, Claire’s loose mask, with her nose popping out, tells us that she is a busy woman with no time for vanities, but also that she doesn’t care as much as she pretends to. Birdie’s golden mesh mask shows a complete misunderstanding of what the masks are even for, and Duke (Dave Bautista) and Whiskey’s (Madelyn Cline) lack of a mask speak of their blatant disregard for others. I think I can safely say all of us know or have seen these different types of people throughout the pandemic.
Continuing with our recognition of COVID-19, we see Bron’s assistant (Ethan Hawke) administer questionably intense doses of a COVID-19 like shot. A shot doesn’t mean you get to stop wearing your mask, but, in the world of Glass Onion, it kind of does. After all, the vaccine that Miles Bron got while we were all still locked up at home is certainly much more powerful than the ones going around.
The Idiocy of Miles Bron
Alright, I think that’s enough COVID talk. The next easter egg we have is the name of Miles Bron’s company, Alpha. However, it is not the first letter of the Greek alphabet that appears all throughout Glass Onion. Instead, it is the letter omega, the alphabet’s very last one, that we see all around: on Bron’s yacht, on Lionel’s lapel, and even on Benoit’s watch, an Omega Seamaster 1948. Together, the two letters form the expression “alpha and omega”, meaning the beginning and the end of something. This indicates that Miles’ empire is coming to an end.
Another easter egg given to us by Miles Bron (Edward Norton) is his wardrobe choice in a flashback scene. We see the “disrupters” hanging out at a bar when Miles comes in. His outfit in this scene is identical to that of another movie character, Frank T.J. Mackey (Tom Cruise), a pick-up artist from the 1999 movie Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The fact that Bron is emulating Mackey speaks of his desire to charm everyone around him, and a cockiness that he apparently admires in the Mackey character.
One of the biggest hints the film gives us to predict the ending is through the murder mystery game, created by Bron and solved by Blanc within the first five minutes of the game. The fictional story maps out a lot of what happens in the film.
First off, Miles has a packet of fake blood in his shirt to simulate being killed, which mirrors the hot sauce packet Benoit uses later to make it look like Helen was shot on the stairs. Second, the solution to the "murder" is actually very simple, but it's filled with nonsensical layers to confuse the guests (and the audience). Third, the answer to the mystery is hidden in plain sight. While the necklace containing the diamond is right in front of them during the meal, the napkin with the plans for the company is in Miles' office, hidden behind the false napkin. And finally, Miles took credit for something he didn't create. He introduces the game by saying that he spent a lot of time crafting the plot, but later confesses that someone else wrote the whole thing. It's exactly how he took credit for Andi's hard work building Alpha and then stole the company out from under her. Basically, Miles has no originality whatsoever.
Callback to the original film, Knives Out
Glass Onion also gives recognition to its parent film, Knives Out. When Benoit arrives on the island, Miles tells him that he didn't actually invite him to his murder mystery weekend despite receiving the same invitation as everyone else. Miles allows Benoit to stay because he thinks it will be fun, but the detective warns him to not think lightly about the mistake.
"An anonymous invitation is not to be trifled with," Benoit says.
This is a callback to the first film when Benoit was hired to solve Harlan Thrombey's (Christohper Plummer) murder. It turns out Harlan's grandson Ransom (Chris Evans) hired Benoit anonymously, hoping to frame Harlan's nurse, Marta (Ana De Armas).
Batman Benoit Blanc
Benoit Blanc continues to be our favorite hero by humbling claiming, “I am Not Batman” while conversing with Andi about the plan to expose Miles’ crime and get justice for her sister, Helen. During the film’s reveal that Helen (Janelle Monae) is Andy’s twin sister, Benoit offers to help her infiltrate Bron’s island getaway. However, he notes, “I am not Batman,” which is slightly undermined by the score. As Benoit formulates a plan to catch Miles, a small sample of Danny Elfman’s iconic score from Tim Burton’s Batman can be heard.
The Film’s Structure
The Glass Onion metaphor gets spoken about a lot in the film for all the layers built into Miles' mansion, with its twisting corridors, numerous rooms, and hidden secrets. But it also could serve as a reference to the film itself. The plot has so many different layers, with multiple suspects all with their own motives, secrets, and ways their lives and careers overlap.
Another Murder Mystery Masterpiece is on the way
All in all, Glass Onion is filled with easter eggs, inside jokes, ironic undertones, beloved characters, infamous villains, gorgeous settings, and clever tricks that keep the audience guessing and stressing over the potential endings. While that is all I have for Glass Onion, I can promise you murder mystery lovers that here is more to come for the Knives Out series. The third in the Knives Out series has been confirmed since March 31, 2022, when Netflix closed a huge deal for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (the second film) and a third movie. The deal was reportedly worth more than $400 million, making it one of the biggest streamers deals in history. While the title, cast, and plot is still unknown for the 3rd film, we can anticipate yet another brilliant whodunnit story brought to us by our favorite mystery screenwriter, Rian Johnson.