'Wake Up Dead Man': A Digressive Whodunit

A whodunit is a bit like a basketball game: The last few minutes are all that really matter. Still, writer-director Rian Johnson managed to pump some life into a largely forgotten cinematic genre with “Knives Out,” the 2019 murder mystery starring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, the courtly genius with the Foghorn Leghorn accent who untangles mysteries for fun. The 2022 sequel, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” with its posh “White Lotus”-style luxury getaway, was at least as entertaining, and Netflix appeared to have a long-running franchise on its hands.

- KYLE SMITH

Daniel Craig, top, returns as Benoit Blanc in the latest installment of the 'Knives Out' franchise, which also features Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Daryl McCormack, Glenn Close, Cailee Spaeny and Kerry Washington, above.