Kerry Washington (left) and Glenn Close (right) star in “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” (Photo Credit: Netflix Studios).
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(“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” trailer courtesy of Netflix)
Recently, RegalMag.com has published articles focused on the number three, especially when it comes to musical albums.
But maybe RegalMag.com should have focused on movie trilogies because the “Knives Out” franchise has been slicing and dicing the competition for the last few years.
In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the franchise has another great whodunit under its belt, which combines a warning to the modern church and its emphasis on winning political battles instead of winning souls to Jesus Christ.
Many Christians say that the church needs more fighters.
Meekness is cool.
But many are tired of that being seen as a weakness.
However, many Christians probably want Christians to fight in a spiritual way.
Well in “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out,” the church probably does not want Fr. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor, “Challengers”) then because he is an actual former boxer that still possesses a mean jab.
While the Bible teaches believers to turn the other cheek in a dispute, Jud decides to bust someone in the cheek instead.
Jud’s tendency to knock out people that he dislikes, should earn him punishment from Catholic Church leaders.
However, priests like Bp. Langstrom (Jeffrey Wright) like Jud’s enthusiasm for the church and believe that he can help resurrect some dying congregations.
Therefore, Bp. Langstrom gives Jud the assignment of assistant pastor to Mons. Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) in the small town of Chimney Rock, not the famous street in Houston.
In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” Wicks definitely has a certain charisma that is undeniable.
That is why he still has a few dedicated parishioners like Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), Vera Draven, Esq. (Kerry Washington), Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack) and Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church) despite his many imperfections.
Unfortunately, his congregation has trouble growing because his fire and brimstone sermons upset single mothers, the LGBT community and other “sinners” who visit his church on Sunday.
Although the congregation has trouble growing, it has no trouble keeping the light bill paid thanks to generous members hoping that their tithes and offerings will lead them to receiving a miracle healing for their physical ailments.
Furthermore, rumor has it that a prior priest, who is Wicks’ grandfather, left a fortune behind for his heirs and for his beloved church.
While some members believe that those funds are long gone, it adds to the lore and prestige of the small church.
If Jud can come in and not ruffle many feathers, he might be able to transform the congregation and grow the body of Christ throughout the town of Chimney Rock and maybe even beyond thanks to the Internet and social media.
Furthermore, the church is entering the Easter season.
Therefore, even those who do not attend church the other 51 Sundays of the year often go to church on Easter, which means more attendees, more ears, more eyeballs and more shine for Wicks.
In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” Wicks admits to wanting a bigger platform and a fancier car.
Instead, he is stuck in small town obscurity, with a younger priest breathing down his neck and possibly one day taking over his pulpit.
When Jud becomes disgusted with Wick’s divisive sermons and dictatorial tendencies, he attempts to start his own prayer meetings/Bible studies at the church.
However, those loyal to Wicks snitch on Jud, making him somewhat of a pariah at his own church home.
But when something tragic happens during the Good Friday service, pariah might be an understatement to how the congregants view their new assistant pastor.
Unless a person has lived under a rock for the past few years, they know that the “Knives Out” franchise movies are whodunits.
In fact, they are some of the best and most enjoyable whodunits in years.
In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the whodunit has some predictability.
However, the lengths that the perpetrator goes to in order to cover up their misdeeds is on the next level.
Furthermore, the fact that “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” centers on a church is next level too.
When Wicks asks Jud to preside over his confessional, it goes off the rails quickly with Wicks’ honesty about his masturbation problem.
To make matters worse, Wicks wants to shake Jud’s hands after that self-pleasing confession.
What should a man of God do in such a situation?
Should he err on the sanitary and nonjudgmental side or refuse and just hope God forgives him for being a jerk to someone confessing their sins?
Masturbation obsession confessions aside, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” does focus on a timely theme as many churches seemingly stray away from the teaching of Jesus in favor of power and retribution for those who do not bend to their will.
It also effectively deals with some of the reasons why some have strayed from the faith like the great detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig).
But the one thing about using faith to handle the conundrums of life is that God works in mysterious ways.
And as preachers often say, God does not always come when we want him.
But He is always on time.
And to solve that mysterious crime in “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” many of the characters desperately need an on-time God before their time living outside of the prison walls ends abruptly and law enforcement points the finger at them.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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