VOTE: Which film is actually better, Knives Out or Glass Onion?

Baw gawd, I’m torn!

2 years ago | UPDATED 1 month ago

Rian Johnson got smacked with instant and universal critical acclaim in 2019 when he debuted his film Knives Out, a campy murder mystery that played out like a big budget, all star game of Cluedo with an ensemble cast and a retro vibe that felt irresistibly fresh in the cinema landscape of the time. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t leave the screening with something to love – even if they thought Daniel Craig’s iconically hammy performance as Benoit ‘baw gawd’ Blanc was a bit much. It was inevitable the world would see a sequel, and this Christmas, Glass Onion dominated Netflix and gave Blanc a new case to camp it up with. But which film is better – Knives Out or Glass Onion? I’m going to weigh up both film’s pros and cons, and put a vote at the end. Let’s do this!

Knives Out

The first film sees private investigator Benoit Blanc show up at the opulent family home of the Thrombey family, whose patriarch Harlan is an acclaimed, famous crime novelist. Harlan has been found with his throat slit, and what unravels is a whodunnit centred around a greedy family with too much money and even more secrets.

The cast

A huge pro of both films is how great the cast is, and how much they differ. If we take the obviously amazing Daniel Craig out of the equation, the first film boasts Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. Maybe this is just a personal thing, but this four is untouchably great in my opinion. Like, take my money NOW good.

The plot

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What Knives Out boasts is a plot centred on a family, whose relationships are in my opinion more interesting and interpersonal than that of the sequel which although features longterm friends just doesn’t hit quite as hard. I also think there’s a freshness to this one that feels like the twists are more unpredictable, the setting is richer and with more character – it just overall unravels more tightly weaved and satisfyingly than the sequel.

The critical reception

Knives Out sits with a 97 per cent, certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Glass Onion

The sequel to Knives Out clearly had a lot riding on it; as all sequels do when they follow up a huge success. Netflix paid nearly 500 mil to secure the bag on this one, and the whole film is practically gleaming with the cash they spent. From the cast to the setting, it feels opulent – even the plot is all about money, billionaires and greed. Glass Onion sees Benoit Blanc be invited to billionaire Miles Bron’s private island as he hosts his old friends for a murder mystery weekend during the pandemic.

The cast

Netflix spared no expense when they booked these names, and Kathryn Hahn and Edward Norton absolutely kill it. I didn’t care for Kate Hudson in this, I can’t lie – but my god, Janelle Monae smashed it out the park. She’s honestly the best thing about the whole film, in my opinion. When it comes to which cast you prefer, Knives Out or Glass Onion, both kill it – it’s just personal preference really.

The plot

Look, in my opinion, the Glass Onion plot is just not up to par with the Knives Out one. When Knives Out came out, it felt like nothing else on at that time. But in 2022, we’ve seen an endless stream of films that tell us, one way or another, that rich people are knob heads. Rich people are indeed knob heads – we know this. We saw it with Triangle of Sadness, we saw it with The Menu, we saw it with The White Lotus. I’m happy for eat the rich narratives, but like… Another billionaire parody of Elon Musk? I just feel like it lacks the kick.