--- title: "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" year: 2022 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery" fi1m_id: "glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery" imdb_id: "tt11564570" tmdb_id: 661374 wikidata_id: "Q84712797" fi1m_score: 72 critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 34 published: "2026-09-30T21:52:31.354199+00:00" updated: "2026-09-30T21:52:50.149401+00:00" region: "SI" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Directed by Rian Johnson · 2h 20m · Comedy, Crime, Mystery ## Identity Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery - **IMDb ID:** tt11564570 - **TMDB ID:** 661374 - **Wikidata ID:** Q84712797 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11564570/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/661374, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q84712797 **Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 76 from 34 reviews *In a sentence:* Six dreadful people are invited to solve a murder, and for a while we would happily have supplied one > Rian Johnson’s second Benoit Blanc mystery is bigger, sunnier and more elaborately built than the first, and Janelle Monáe gives it something to care about. It is also 140 minutes long, aims its satire at the easiest targets available, and explains its cleverness twice. ## Synopsis Tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) sends elaborate wooden puzzle boxes to five old friends, inviting them to his private Greek island for a weekend murder mystery in which he will play the corpse. The guests are Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.), Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), who brings Peg (Jessica Henwick) along, and Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), who brings Whiskey (Madelyn Cline). Two arrivals unsettle the host: Andi Brand (Janelle Monáe), the co-founder he pushed out of his company, and the detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who has a box too, though Bron insists he never sent one. On an island crowned by a glass dome, the game begins. ## Review Rian Johnson has taken his detective out of the New England mansion and put him on a Greek island in high summer, and the result is broader, brighter and a good deal louder than [*Knives Out*](https://film.one/film/knives-out). Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) turns up, apparently uninvited, at a murder mystery weekend thrown by the tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) for the five old friends he calls his disruptors. It is an enjoyable film, cleverly built and beautifully dressed, and it has Janelle Monáe in it, which matters more than anything else about it. It is also long, pleased with itself, and pointed at people nobody in the audience will mind seeing hit. Worth an evening if you liked the first one; less of a surprise this time. Steve Yedlin shoots the island in hard sun, all white stone and blue water, so that it looks like a brochure for somewhere you would not want to go. Rick Heinrichs gives Bron a house with a glass dome on top, a chime that sounds on the hour, and rooms full of art that nobody looks at, which tells you most of what the script spends two hours telling you about the man. Jenny Eagan’s costumes do a similar job for the guests. Kate Hudson’s Birdie Jay changes outfit for every entrance, and Craig is given a striped bathing costume and a neckerchief that made us laugh before he had said a word. Nathan Johnson’s score bustles underneath the talk and mostly stays out of its way. Craig has loosened. He plays Blanc as a man slightly bored by puzzles, and the early scene in which he takes Bron’s carefully designed game apart in about a minute is played not as triumph but as mild embarrassment on the host’s behalf. Norton is good as Bron, a man who has bought the word genius and wears it a size too large, and who cannot get through a sentence without misusing something in it. Dave Bautista’s Duke Cody carries a pistol and a grudge, Kathryn Hahn’s Claire Debella carries a campaign, and Leslie Odom Jr.’s Lionel Toussaint carries the scientific credibility Bron borrows and never returns. Each of them is given one trait and asked to keep hitting it. Hudson hits hers hardest and gets the most laughs. Monáe is the reason the film is more than a very expensive parlour game. Andi Brand is the one person on the island Bron has actually wronged, and Monáe plays her as someone who has decided to say almost nothing and see what the others do with the silence. In the first hour we found we were watching her rather than the people talking, which is what the film wants and what only she achieves. When the script finally lets her loose, later, she is the only actor on screen whose anger does not sound written. The structure is the boldest thing here and the most tiring. Around the halfway mark the film stops and starts again from a different place, and we will say no more than that. It is a clever piece of construction, and it means that the same 140 minutes contain a good many scenes twice. Bob Ducsay’s editing is sharp on the jokes, cutting away on the beat before the laugh has landed, but he cannot make the second pass feel as quick as the first. The satire has a similar problem. Bron and his friends are rich, stupid and for sale; Johnson establishes this in the first ten minutes and then keeps establishing it. We felt agreed with rather than provoked, and by the last half hour we were checking how much longer the agreement would go on. Set against Johnson’s own films, this is the most relaxed and the least pointed. [*Brick*](https://film.one/film/brick) and [*Looper*](https://film.one/film/looper) had ideas that cost him something; the first Blanc film had a family, a house and a quiet nurse at its centre, and its jokes about the rich were about a particular kind of rich. Here the target is a brand rather than a person, and the film treats hitting it as a public service. Most critics have enjoyed it a little more than we did, and we understand why; it is hard to dislike something this sunny. Watch it in company, with people who will shout their guesses and be wrong. Alone, the second hour is long and the explanation longer. Craig’s bathing costume is a reason on its own, though not, at 140 minutes, quite reason enough. *Fi1m score 72, published 30 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics enjoy Glass Onion, and a good number think it better than the first Knives Out: bigger and twistier without the usual sequel slack. The praise clusters on two performances: Janelle Monáe, named again and again as the film’s heart, and Daniel Craig, whose looser, sillier Benoit Blanc is a reliable pleasure. Rian Johnson’s plotting, with its shifts in time and its patient character work, is widely admired, as is the sharper aim taken at the super-rich. The reservations cluster on the satire itself. Several critics find the politics self-satisfied and the jokes too many, and a few worry that the topical references will date quickly. The opening is called slow or overstuffed, the runtime generous, and the finale messier than the first film’s. The spread is wide: a handful of five-star verdicts sit alongside a small but firm dissent. The New Yorker finds the film clever but cold, The Wrap finds it forgettable, and even they exempt Monáe. ## Straight answers **Is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery worth watching?** *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* is worth an evening for anyone who enjoyed the first Benoit Blanc film, and we scored it 72. It is cleverly built, handsomely dressed and lifted by Janelle Monáe, but at 140 minutes it repeats itself and aims its satire at very easy targets. Watch it in company, with people who will shout wrong guesses. **How long is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and what is it rated?** *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* runs 2h 20m. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in Slovenia?** *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* is streaming on Netflix in Slovenia. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and is it suitable for children?** *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* is a 12A comedy mystery, and its violence is of the parlour-game kind: a murder to be solved rather than dwelt on, with one guest carrying a pistol. It is not frightening, and older children who can follow a twisty plot should be fine; the 140-minute runtime is more of an obstacle than anything on screen. **How does Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery compare to Knives Out?** *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* is bigger, sunnier and louder than [*Knives Out*](https://film.one/film/knives-out), and the earlier film is the sharper of the two. The first has a family, a house and a quiet nurse at its centre; the sequel has a billionaire brand as its target and hits it repeatedly. Newcomers should start with *Knives Out*; returning fans will enjoy the sequel with fewer surprises. **What should I watch after Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery?** After *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*, try [*Knives Out*](https://film.one/film/knives-out) (2019, Fi1m 81): Blanc’s first case, smaller and sharper, with a house worth staying in. Then [*Gosford Park*](https://film.one/film/gosford-park) (2001, Fi1m 85): Altman’s country-house murder, where the servants notice everything and say nothing; and [*Triangle of Sadness*](https://film.one/film/triangle-of-sadness) (2022, Fi1m 66): The very rich on a boat, and the film is far less polite about it. ### Reviews we read (34) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (5/5/5): Jenkins delivers an exuberant verdict, calling the film an exceptionally fun and incisive mystery. He especially praises Daniel Craig’s comic intensity and Janelle Monáe’s nuanced performance. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery) - **IndieWire**, Kate Erbland (A-): Erbland finds the sequel a delightful, sharply constructed whodunit that confidently stands on its own. She praises its playful genre twists and Daniel Craig’s loose, silly performance as Benoit Blanc. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/glass-onion-knives-out-2-review-rian-johnson-1234761029/) - **The AV Club**, Todd Gilchrist (A-): The critic finds the sequel a joyful, whip-smart crowd-pleaser that improves on the original. They single out Johnson’s nimble reinvention of the whodunit and Janelle Monáe’s performance as the story’s heart. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/glass-onion-review-daniel-craig-rian-johnson-monae-1849706476) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel even more delightful than the original, without falling into the usual bloat of a follow-up. They praise its varied ensemble and the way Johnson sustains momentum through the plot’s shifts in time. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-rian-johnson-daniel-craig-kate-hudseon-janelle-monae-1235217185/) - **Empire**, John Nugent (4/5): Nugent finds it a fizzy, entertaining crowd-pleaser, though the comedy sometimes feels overindulgent. He praises Janelle Monáe’s performance and the maze-like script. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery/) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (4/5): O'Sullivan calls the film fantastic, intelligent and outrageously funny, though it starts slowly. She particularly praises Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc, Janelle Monáe's performance and the film's satire of the self-aggrandising rich. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-movie-review-daniel-craig-b1032842.html) - **Radio Times**, James Mottram (80/100, inferred): Mottram’s headline and description present the film as a marvellously entertaining whodunnit. They single out Daniel Craig’s return as Benoit Blanc for praise. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/glass-onion-knives-out-mystery-review/) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The review finds the film a winning blend of satire and sleuthing. It praises the smart, sassy mystery and Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc as a Poirot for the super-rich era. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-2022) - **Total Film**, Jamie Graham (4/5): The review finds the sequel almost as sharp as the original and highly entertaining, though its larger scale may not suit everyone. It praises Rian Johnson’s cleverly twisting screenplay and its playful genre deconstruction. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/glass-onion-review-knives-out-2/) - **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (80/100, inferred): Willmore finds the sequel bigger, more precisely designed, and more satisfying than its predecessor. She particularly praises its patient character work, which makes the characters’ moral hollowness emerge gradually. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-movie-review.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (75/100, inferred): Chang finds the film splendidly entertaining, though less airtight and somewhat more derivative than its predecessor. He especially praises the dexterity of Johnson’s plotting and the sharper satire of the billionaire class. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-09-11/glass-onion-the-fabelmans-reviews-toronto-2022) - **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (75/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the sequel thoroughly entertaining, though its killer reveal is less satisfying than the original’s. He praises Janelle Monáe’s performance as the fascinating, quietly indignant Andi. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-daniel-craig-rian-johnson-1235367783/) - **Sight and Sound**, BFI (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film largely charming and ingenious, despite its shortcomings. It praises the pacing and inventive mystery while faulting the humor’s staying power and the characters’ lack of depth. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/glass-onion-this-knives-out-sequel-well-paced-screwball-mystery) - **Screen Daily**, Wendy Ide (65/100, inferred): The visible page confirms this is a Toronto review, but the critic’s verdict is unavailable in the paywalled text. The standfirst highlights the Greek setting and Netflix’s takeover of Johnson’s whodunnit series, without revealing a specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-toronto-review/5174337.article) - **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (65/100, inferred): Lee finds the sequel entertaining but less potent than the original, with its excesses often blunting the fun. He praises Johnson’s intricate plotting and Kate Hudson’s comic performance, while faulting the overstuffed opening and its too-many jokes. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/11/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-sequel-has-more-bung-for-buck-but-blunter-weapon) - **The i Paper**, Geoffrey Macnab (65/100, inferred): Macnab finds the film hard to like at first because its characters are obnoxious, but ultimately considers it plenty of fun. He praises the exuberant storytelling and lively performances, particularly Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-thoroughly-obnoxious-characters-makes-this-sequel-hard-to-like-1918448) - **The New York Times** (65/100, inferred): The page is identifiable as a review, but its verdict cannot be verified from the available text. No praised or criticized element is visible in the blocked page. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/movies/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Kenji Fujishima (2.5/4): The critic finds the film an entertaining, twist-filled sequel whose political commentary feels self-satisfied and pandering. They praise the ensemble performances, especially Janelle Monáe’s quietly wounding portrayal. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-rian-johnson/) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (40/100, inferred): Lane finds the film clever and entertaining but ultimately thin and cold. He praises its intricate, twisting storytelling and Kate Hudson’s comic performance, while faulting the unlikable characters for leaving the story emotionally chilly. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/28/the-unlikable-souls-of-glass-onion) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (5/5): Crow finds the sequel supremely entertaining and praises its sharp satire of wealth and privilege. He singles out Janelle Monáe’s performance and righteous fury as a standout. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/glass-onion-review-rian-johnson-knives-out/) - **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (A): Bonaime calls it a deeply satisfying, entertaining mystery that surpasses its predecessor. He especially praises Johnson’s nimble storytelling and the cast, while noting that a few ensemble members get little to do. [Read](https://collider.com/knives-out-2-review-glass-onion-rian-johnson-daniel-craig/) - **Deadline**, Damon Wise (94/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an exciting, funny crowd-pleaser with a meticulously plotted mystery. He especially praises Janelle Monáe’s performance, while noting that the explosive finale is somewhat messy. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/09/toronto-review-rian-johnson-glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-netflix-1235114718/) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (9/10): The critic says Glass Onion surpasses its predecessor with a bigger, funnier, more intricate mystery. They single out Daniel Craig’s performance as Blanc as especially hilarious and memorable. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1002610/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-rian-johnson-outdoes-himself-with-a-hilarious-new-benoit-blanc-mystery-tiff/) - **Consequence**, Amber Dowling (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel silly, absurd fun and suggests it may surpass the original. She praises the lively ensemble and the film’s deftly handled social commentary. [Read](https://consequence.net/2022/12/glass-onion-review-knives-out-2/) - **Paste**, Kathy Michelle Chacón (8.0): Chacón finds the sequel sillier and more over-the-top than its predecessor, but even more enjoyable. She praises Johnson’s visual comedy and the film’s lively, twist-filled take on murder mysteries. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/netflix/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review) - **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel equally entertaining and satisfying, with no sequel fatigue yet. They single out the ensemble and its entertaining, nuanced satire of the wealthy for praise. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a42294175/glass-onion-review/) - **NME**, James Mottram (4/5): The review calls it an almost impossible-to-resist, bigger and twistier sequel that makes for especially fun repeat viewing. It praises the crowded ensemble, singling out Janelle Monáe as the standout alongside Daniel Craig. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/glass-onion-review-knives-out-2-daniel-craig-3330126) - **The Skinny**, Rory Doherty (★★★★): Doherty finds the sequel deliriously fun and meticulously crafted, despite its overly didactic social commentary and topical references that may quickly date. He praises the game cast, slick style, and convoluted mystery’s crowd-pleasing climax. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery) - **Film Stories**, Simon Brew (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film hugely entertaining and very funny, though it runs longer than it needs to. They single out Daniel Craig’s comic performance and the editing’s wit for praise. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-daniel-craig-takes-a-bath/) - **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (70/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film a sharper, more precise follow-up, though its setup runs long and its topical satire may date. She praises the cast’s playful performances, the visual and scripted humour, and the costume design. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-2022-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) - **Polygon**, Oli Welsh (70/100, inferred): Welsh finds the film flashy, fun entertainment, despite muddled themes and a finale that fails to land. He especially praises Janelle Monáe’s multifaceted performance and the cast’s lively comic turns. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23474865/glass-onion-review-knives-out-sequel-netflix-streaming/) - **The Playlist** (65/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as a review of the 2022 film, but the page content is blocked. Its verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be determined. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/glass-onion-review-rian-johnsons-knives-out-sequel-is-another-twisty-delight-tiff-20220910/) - **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (60/100, inferred): Nayman finds the film enjoyable but disposable, with its satire too self-righteous to feel especially trenchant. He praises Janelle Monáe’s performance and her scenes with Daniel Craig, while finding much of the supporting cast underused or stuck in easy comic shtick. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2022/11/23/movies/glass-onion-knives-out-mystery-sequel) - **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel uninspired and forgettable, with little suspense or memorable characterization. Janelle Monáe is singled out for delivering the film’s most complex role with distinction. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/glass-onion-film-review-knives-daniel-craig/) ## Details - **Director:** Rian Johnson - **Director:** Rian Johnson - **Writer:** Rian Johnson - **Cinematography:** Steve Yedlin - **Editor:** Bob Ducsay - **Music:** Nathan Johnson - **Production design:** Rick Heinrichs - **Costume design:** Jenny Eagan - **Producer:** Ram Bergman, Rian Johnson - **Cast:** Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc; Edward Norton as Miles Bron; Janelle Monáe as Andi Brand; Kathryn Hahn as Claire Debella; Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint; Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay; Dave Bautista as Duke Cody; Jessica Henwick as Peg - **Runtime:** 2h 20m - **Release (Slovenia):** 23 December 2022 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Mystery - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2022) - **Budget:** $40 million - **Box office:** $15 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj5ibYSz8C0 ## Where to watch in Slovenia - Netflix: streaming *Checked 2026-09-30.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2023: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated) - Golden Globes 2023: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Knives Out* (2019), Fi1m 81: Blanc’s first case, smaller and sharper, with a house worth staying in. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/knives-out.md) - *The Last of Sheila* (1973): A rich man’s mystery game on a yacht; the guests are worse than the crime. - *Evil Under the Sun* (1982): Poirot, a sunlit island and a hotel full of people who deserve suspicion. - *Gosford Park* (2001), Fi1m 85: Altman’s country-house murder, where the servants notice everything and say nothing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gosford-park.md) - *Triangle of Sadness* (2022), Fi1m 66: The very rich on a boat, and the film is far less polite about it. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/triangle-of-sadness.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery