Over winter break, I sat down and watched Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which was released in late 2022. I’d like to break down the movie and share my thoughts and opinions on it.
WARNING: spoilers ahead. Don’t continue if you haven’t watched it yet.
If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t realize Glass Onion was tied to Knives Out until I realized that the detective was the same about 20 minutes into the movie. I enjoyed Knives Out, but I don’t remember loving it. I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was, but for some reason, I didn’t feel drawn in or on the edge of my seat for that movie.
Glass Onion was a different story.
Once it started, I felt immediately drawn in. I was intrigued by the boxes in the opening scenes, tried to figure out how the rag-tag group depicted was connected and who exactly their rich friend Miles was.
As the movie progressed, I found it exciting to learn their backstory, get a feel for each characte, and watch the detective at work. When the first murder happened, I had no idea who it could be. And after Cassandra was murdered on the stairs, I was shocked and felt like the movie had already ended.
I was in for a surprise when the movie cut back to before they were all on the island and explained how the detective got there (when he wasn’t originally invited) and how Cassandra was actually dead, and her sister Andi was pretending to be her. I was completely invested as the movie explained all the behind-the-scenes details, up until finding out Andi had actually not been shot and had hot sauce on her.
At this point in the movie, I experienced twists, turns, intrigue, and still had no idea who the murderer was.
I thought there was a uniqueness about a giant glass onion being placed on the island, how it was tied to the group’s history at their go-to bar and how it tied into a metaphor for the movie itself; multiple layers that had to be peeled back.
I thought the movie was executed with precision. The pace was perfect in keeping my attention and also continuing with the story. I loved the bold and different personalities of all the characters and the humor that was scattered throughout the movie.
I was happy with the ending. Finding out Miles was the killer and watching Andi burn the Mona Lisa. It was a unique twist ending that still left the bad guy getting punished even when you thought he had gotten away with it.
Overall, it was an exciting, humorous, enjoyable mystery that I recommend watching.