Third outing for Rian Johnson's Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) character (after Knives Out (2019) and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)). Again he wrote and directed, again with diminishing returns. Again I didn't really get into it.
The scenario has reformed street brawler/boxer/newly minted priest Josh O'Connor (La Chimera (2023)) sent to a small village somewhere in New York as punishment for punching out some other Catholic Church functionary. There he encounters Josh Brolin in messiah mode and soon enough Noah Segan as a barkeep in a devil-themed bar. Glenn Close keeps the church running. Doctor Jeremy Renner is bereft after his wife leaves him. Mila Kunis, implausible as police. Kerry Washington, a lawyer with a horribly caricatured adopted son Daryl McCormack. Jeffrey Wright! After excess setup there's a murder (surprise) and the explanations start with an hour to go. The exposition is abidingly excessive. The humour struck me as stale.
I had hopes that Johnson would innovate, for instance by having all of them do it. But no, this is really a treasure hunt.
Dana Stevens: better than the last one. Peter Sobczynski: better than the last one.
