I'm starting to feel like Rian Johnson was a one and done for me in terms of making good murder mystery movies. Knives Out was great, Glass Onion was a huge step down, and this, despite not having all of the same issues that Glass Onion had, still somehow managed to be a step down again. Daniel Craig is great (as he always in in these movies) but that's probably where my praise for this ends. I felt that the charm that was present in the first two movies was glaringly absent from this one. The first 30 minutes were not compelling to me at all, and quite honestly, the dialogue throughout this was downright laughable at times. A very forgettable experience.

If Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig want to make more Benoit Blanc films, then by all means, they should. Because after loving “Knives Out” and finding at least a few positive things to say about “Glass Onion,” “Wake Up Dead Man” is another resounding success. The formula works better this time around, as Blanc takes on more of a supporting role, as he did in the first film, so that his eccentric manner doesn't get on your nerves after a while. Meanwhile, Josh O'Connor takes on the lead role as a good-natured and somewhat in-over-his-head priest, and he does a damn good job. Like Ana de Armas in “Knives Out,” he is the anchor of the story. The supporting roles are, of course, also filled with high-caliber actors, which is to be expected from this franchise. Josh Brolin and Glenn Close stand out in particular. In a whodunit, the resolution is also important, and it works quite well here. At least everything seems coherent enough that you leave the movie not feeling cheated. Personally, I like “Knives Out” a tad better, but “Wake Up Dead Man” isn’t far behind. If there is more to come from this series, I would very much welcome it.

Give me 10 more! Benoit Blanc gets c*ntier by the movie and I am here for it!

For being the third film in the franchise, Wake Up Dead Man has no business being this good. The cast may be better than the characters, but Josh O'Conner submits his best performance and Daniel Craig is not tired yet. The the film is fun, the comedy consistently lands, and the mystery is engaging from start to finish.