[Warning: this article contains spoilers, viewer discretion is advised]
Wake Up Dead Man released to theaters on November 26, 2025. It is an American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson and the third film in the Knives Out series.
The plot follows a man named Jud Duplenticy, played by Josh O’Connor, and a former boxer turned Catholic priest who was assistant pastor to Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, played by Josh Brolin. Duplenticy often found himself in conflict with Wicks due to his foul preaching, which had driven away almost all church-goers.
During a Friday morning service, Wicks was found dead in a storage closet, stabbed in the back with a knife. The knife was carved from a devil’s-head lamp that Duplenticy had previously stolen from a bar while drunk.
Rumors spread across the town that Duplenticy was the murderer, as the weapon, along with previous actions, proved suspicious. Although most evidence was uncertain, suspicion fell on him.
A ploy of foul play and lies unfolded as Duplenticy helped the police find the real murderer, and questions of reality became imperative. Was the real murderer truly out there, or was he playing under the nose of law enforcement all along?
After watching the first two movies of the series, Knives Out, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, I was excited for the release of Wake Up Dead Man. The film did not disappoint, and the 92% on the Rotten Tomato Meter shows that.
The film was funnier and more clever than any other in the trilogy and kept the suspense while the characters stayed witty in dangerous situations. I enjoyed the movie because of the suspense it had, even from the beginning of the movie.
The plot was smart and remained focused throughout the film. It kept me engaged, and I would definitely watch it again. The most surprising thing that happened in the movie was the reality of it; the things that happened in the show could occur in real life. Unlike many other mysteries I’ve seen, the film was realistic.
An example of this is when the Pope rose from the dead, or seemed to at least. Further investigation revealed it was all a secret plan where the body was switched with groundskeeper Samson Holt to stage a resurrection.
This small scene really made the movie for me.
While the movie was great overall, the one critique I have is the ending. I didn’t understand exactly who the murderer was, their intentions, or why they took certain actions. The plot remained, but genuine actions slowly became less apparent as the resolution came to a close.
Although the ending was confusing, it was a great thriller that I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy murder mysteries.
I rate this movie a 7.5/10.
