Like the other Knives Out movies, Rian Johnson refuses to make anything easy. Jud is the clear suspect, and it’s only Blanc who sees that he’s innocent, and this is the mystery. What I appreciate about Wake Up, Dead Man is that Johnson tells an elaborate murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, carrying us along on this journey where we can try to solve it ourselves or simply enjoy the ride.
If you’re not a fan of the Knives Out series, you’re not going to like Wake Up, Dead Man. To me, it’s the best of the series. There’s an evolution that the series is going through, hitting on a specific genre. Here we have gothic horror, a religious tale to boot, and the storytelling is dense.
Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) realizes something terrible has happened inside the church. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix)
“…it’s the best of the series.”
My love for this movie lies in the relationship between Jud and Blanc. To me, the best movies are the ones that you connect with on a personal level. Having been involved in the Christian church since the 1980s, I resonated deeply with the religious discussions and themes of the film. Somehow, Johnson’s been able to sum up my spiritual journey in a few conversations. This is definitely not a church movie, but it has a lot to say about religion. Why does this matter? It’s engaging. That’s why.
Wicks is the epitome of a power-hungry pastor who uses the name of God to rule and control. Jud is a man with a checkered past (killing a man), who has found salvation in God and made it his mission to give grace to those who have no hope. Blanc is the atheist, who is a follower of truth, which is why he’s there to find the truth behind the crime. There are these discussions between Jud and Blanc that center on the idea of faith and whether a divine force guides the faithful, whether it’s a coincidence, or whether following God down the “Road to Damascus” is a fruitful endeavor. Wake Up, Dead Man never draws a conclusion, but has fun with the conversation… did I mention an empty tomb? We have all these religious discussions that ultimately end with the whodunnit.
Rian Johnson’s Wake Up, Dead Man is more than a clever whodunnit. It’s a meditation on belief, guilt, and the stories we tell ourselves to stay righteous. What begins as a murder investigation becomes a battle between truth and faith.
Wake Up, Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery screened at the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival.
"…more than a clever whodunnit. It's a meditation on belief, guilt, and the stories we tell ourselves to stay righteous."
