At the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Assistant Production Director, Riley Samz had the opportunity to review Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery, which was not publicly out, now out on Netflix and no longer under review embargo we are able to share their thoughts on the film
Written by Riley Samz
A crowning highlight of the 25th anniversary of SCAD’s annual Savannah Film Festival was an early screening of “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.”
Writer and director Rian Johnson brings his trademark twisty plot, sure to keep any audience guessing from the opening scene to the conclusion. Indeed, there is no moment in the film in which you can predict with surety the next daring plot twist or shocking revelation. The script and story are the shining star of Glass Onion, a worthy successor to the Oscar-nominated writing of its predecessor, Knives Out. It contains not just excitement and humor aplenty to forge a captive audience, but nuance and layering enough to stay trapped in minds long after the credits roll.
Though it was not excellent writing in a vacuum, as other pieces of the movie were far more than satisfactory. An ensemble cast led by superstars Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, and Janelle Monáe, the latter of which was present at SCAD’s screening, brought a performance that did the superb script justice, then elevated it even higher. Their characters, ranging from relatable to largely satirical, all brought a believability that grounded the slightly fantastical script through obvious inspiration from real-world figures.
The shooting and production quality were also remarkable and worth noting. Many scenes had an extremely artistic quality, a dramatic composition as fitting for a Renaissance painting as for the silver screen. The set and costume design each seemed like a character in themselves, making the whole world alive. Last but not least, the strong sound design was capped with an excellent score, that flowed and adapted to the rapidly changing plot and emotion. Calm orchestral was popped by dramatic violins and crescendos during plot twists amid the constantly increasing tension.
All this praise, however, is not to call Glass Onion a perfect film, as it still has its pitfalls. The two-plus hour runtime feels somewhat excessive, particularly with numerous scenes that feel more like filler rather than a notable contribution to the plot. The mood of the film also seems unstable, as if the movie can’t decide if it is a comedy or a pure mystery thriller. While relatively small details in the context of an entire film, they do break engagement and consistency and do bring the film down a bit.
What may have been perfect, however, was the presentation of the film here in Savannah. Excitement was apparent when the first wave of tickets sold out in under five minutes, weeks before the film festival ever started, and confirmed by the line stretching around the block hours before the curtains rose. Exuberance carried into and through the screening, as the captivated and active audience laughed and cheered at all the right moments, elevating Glass Onion from a film to a full experience. The experience reached its pinnacle when Janelle Monáe took the stage before the screening to receive the Spotlight Award and returned afterward for an enlightening Q&A in which she not only shared experiences from the set and her career but also offered outstanding and inspiring advice to the many students in attendance.
Overall, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery stood out at the festival not just for the film itself, but for the infectious excitement that surrounded it, making for a truly unforgettable movie and experience
