Knives Out 3 Tops Glass Onion With Best Reviews And Rotten Tomatoes Score Yet
Early buzz crowns Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery as the franchise high point, with critics lauding razor-sharp writing, an intricate, darker, faith-tinged puzzle, and standout turns from Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor — and a Rotten Tomatoes score edging past Glass Onion.
Early word on Rian Johnson's third Benoit Blanc mystery is basically: relax, it slaps. 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' is pulling raves for a darker, faith-tinged twist on the formula and a duo of performances from Daniel Craig and Josh O'Connor that several critics say carry the whole thing. If you were worried the franchise might be running on vibes and sweaters at this point, not this time.
So what is this one?
Blanc is chasing the death of a monsignor, which pulls the story into a moodier, more gothic lane than the first two films. Johnson is playing with spirituality and morality more overtly here, but still keeps the humor and puzzle-box payoffs. The movie runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, and it aims for a proper locked-room feel with a modern snap.
What the critics are saying
- Overall, the consensus is that Johnson's writing is razor sharp again, the mystery construction is intricate, and the cast clicks. Several critics singled out Josh O'Connor as the stealth MVP, with Daniel Craig's Blanc coming off looser and more focused than before.
- Toronto Star's Peter Howell calls it the best of the series so far and notes that Craig's take on Blanc is both funkier and more dialed-in.
- The Guardian's Benjamin Lee says the franchise feels fully back on track with this entry.
- Kevin Maher at The Times (UK) drops a 5/5 for a blend of big laughs, knotty twists, and the kind of rug-pulls that make an audience gasp.
- Time Out's Philip De Semlyen thinks this is Johnson's strongest ensemble to date and compares the Craig/O'Connor chemistry to a classic detective-sidekick pairing, Holmes-and-Watson-style.
- BBC.com's Caryn James makes the case that the movie hums even when Blanc isn't front and center, crediting O'Connor for keeping the thing afloat.
- Variety's Owen Gleiberman points to Johnson's playful interest in spiritual questions this time, while Rolling Stone's David Rooney praises the sleek cinematography and layered production design.
- Deadline's Damon Wise notes a cheeky, Saturday-morning-mystery energy in the mix, and HeyUGuys' Linda Marric calls it smart, stylish, and unexpectedly haunting, with O'Connor nearly stealing it from Craig.
- Screen International and The Film Stage both emphasize how crafty the locked-room mechanics are and say it reinforces Johnson's rep for intelligent thrills.
The scorecard (so far)
As of late October 2025, 'Wake Up Dead Man' sits at 94% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 89 critic reviews. That puts it between 'Knives Out' (2019) at 97% from 473 reviews and 'Glass Onion' (2022) at 91% from 437 reviews. Translation: three films in, Johnson's batting average with critics is still very healthy.
"Giving Benoit Blanc a worthy mystery with its genuinely soulful fixation on faith and a scene-stealing Josh O'Connor performance, Wake Up Dead Man is another Knives Out puzzle that comes together splendidly."
That faith-forward angle is the new spice here, and the strong visuals and production design are getting called out as much as the usual clockwork plotting.
When and where to watch
'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' opens in theaters on November 26 and hits Netflix on December 12. If the early reactions are any indication, Blanc's latest may end up being the moody, thorny crowd-pleaser of the trilogy.