WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT

Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) and his distinctive Southern drawl return in this third instalment of the ‘Knives Out’ franchise. He’s called to a small Catholic church in upstate New York following the murder of Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin), a dominant preacher whose motivation is the political power gleaned from a radicalised religious audience. With all fingers pointing at Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), the young priest teams up with Blanc to clear his name and identify the true culprit. As the investigation unfolds it’s revealed that his cult-like congregation members have motives for wanting Wicks out of the picture and things take a bizarre turn when he seemingly rises from the dead. The stellar cast, including Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Mila Kunis, all deliver excellent performances. With an Agatha Christie-style mystery to solve, the plot presents an interesting look at religious intentions, framed by an overarching battle between good and evil. A dark, Gothic vibe sets this film apart from the look and feel of its predecessors. The best whodunnit of the series so far.