Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is quick-witted fun 

Writer-director Rian Johnson cooks up this thorny sequel to his 2019 film about astute detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who this time finds himself on a private Greek island at a murder mystery party hosted by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) with all his old "friends," each of whom seems to have a reason to want Miles dead. (139 min.)

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• Photo Courtesy Of Netflix And T-Street
• DEDUCTION Master detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) must once again suss out a killer, in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, streaming on Netflix.

Glen Rian Johnson is a wildly inventive writer-director who's responsible for films such as Brick (2005), a clever film noir about a high school detective solving a disappearance; The Brothers Bloom (2008), about two clever conmen out for one last swindle; Looper (2012), a complex sci-fi thriller about a time-traveling assassin; and Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), which needs no description. The man knows how to put together a thriller script, and his direction is showy without being distracting. In Benoit Blanc, he's created a compelling character who's such a master detective that it's almost unfair. In Glass Onion, Blanc has a diverse cast of characters to interact with, and each one has a motive for revenge against Miles, who's invented a new hydrogen-based alternative energy source called "Klear," which promises to make him even more obscenely wealthy than he already is. The question is did Miles invent "Klear" or steal the idea? And who's going to have to die to find out?

Anna Craig is a great Benoit Blanc. The start of this film finds him sullen and desperate for a new mystery to solve when along comes a mysterious box and an invitation to Miles' private island alongside Miles' old college pals: ditsy Birdie (Kate Hudson) and her assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), strongman influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and his girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), Gov. Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), reluctant ex Andi Brand (Janelle Monáe), and scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.). Promised a lavish and carefree weekend solving Miles' faked death, this group of people with too much power and too many secrets has no idea what's in store. In my opinion, this film shouldn't be seen in comparison to the first Knives Out, which I absolutely adored. It should have a chance to stand on its own, and it does. While it gets a little wild and crazy (as murder mysteries tend to do), it keeps on doling out fun, intrigue, and surprises. I know there's another Knives Out film in the future, to which I say, bravo! If it packs the same amount of over the top twisty-turny fun, I'm here for it.

Glen Even more than the first, the premise here is a bit hard to swallow. Elon Musk-like Miles has an unbelievable island home made of glass in the shape of an onion. What's that old canard about glass houses? Displayed in the home is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa—as in the Mona Lisa on loan from the Louvre to über-rich Miles by a cash-strapped France. Yes, the whole affair is outlandish. You can either cross your arms and scowl about how preposterous it is, or you can go with it, which I did. In a bit of a cop-out, prepare yourself for a long flashback as the mystery is unraveled. That aside, it's quick-witted fun that skewers the "rich and famous."

Anna It's definitely a roll-your-eyes ridiculous set up, but it doesn't hurt too much to watch wealthy elites get their comeuppance. Both the Knives Out films have had jaw-dropping cast lists—these must be fun movies to make if you can lure this many big names into a project. There are plenty of "a-ha" moments throughout, and the backstory we learn as we watch ups the stakes. You just have to be willing to believe the impossible for a bit. Will I be telling everyone they simply must watch this film? No, but if you enjoyed the first one and don't mind a dash of frivolity alongside your mystery, this is definitely worth a watch, especially now that it is available on Netflix.

Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at [email protected].