Wake Up Dead Man Suffers In One Key Way Compared To The Other Knives Out Movies

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The three films in Rian Johnson's wonderfully clever "Knives Out" trilogy are all uniquely different while also sticking pretty closely to a formula. That formula involves a murder mystery being investigated by master private detective Benoit Blanc, played with a delightfully silly Southern accent by Daniel Craig. But while Blanc is the thread tying these films together, he's not really the main character. Instead, there's always one specific unlucky person caught up in the mystery who acts as our protagonist while assisting Blanc. We have Ana de Armas' Marta in "Knives Out," Janelle Monáe as Helen in "Glass Onion," and now there's Reverend Jud (Josh O'Connor) in "Wake Up Dead Man."

In addition to the rotating protagonists, the trilogy also features a large ensemble cast of characters, all of whom serve as suspects (or victims) in their respective mysteries. This enables Johnson to gather together great groups of actors and give them juicy, colorful characters to sink their teeth into. However, while "Wake Up Dead Man" boasts an impressive ensemble that includes Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, and more, it also feels like the only entry in the series that fails to make the most of its impressive cast.

The Wake Up Dead Man ensemble feels a bit underutilized

To be clear: virtually all the actors in "Wake Up Dead Man" turn in memorable performances while working with what they're given. Close is excellent as devout churchgoer Martha Delacroix, who has a habit of popping up behind people like a slasher movie villain, and Josh Brolin is equally great as the hateful Msgr. Jefferson Wicks. Yet, while I enjoyed "Wake Up Dead Man," especially in the way it handles O'Connor's character, I was surprised at how underutilized the ensemble felt in the end. 

The previous two films, especially "Glass Onion," found the perfect balance in using their large cast of characters. "Wake Up Dead Man," however, is so laser-focused on O'Connor's Jud that the other characters get lost in the shuffle. Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Cailee Spaeny all feel oddly underutilized here. I was particularly disappointed that Scott, a tremendously talented actor seen here playing a failed sci-fi writer, has so little to do. This doesn't make "Wake Up Dead Man" a bad movie, but it did leave me wanting in ways the previous two films did not. 

"Wake Up Dead Man" is now streaming on Netflix.