57-year-old British Daniel Craig played an atheist detective 0 6

The third installment of Rian Johnson's original detective series "Knives Out" has been released on Netflix. Like the two previous entries, "A Knives Out Mystery" has received high praise from critics – over 90% approval on the aggregator rottentomatoes.com. Some have even included the film among the best of the year. We discuss the new cinematic investigation of private detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig. This time he has a partner – a priest with the face of trendy Josh O’Connor, who is eager to unravel the mystery of his colleague's murder.

The young priest with burning eyes, Judd Dupont (O’Connor), is sent to serve in the small town of Chimney Rock – to assist the notorious Monsignor Weeks (Josh Brolin). He has gathered a devoted congregation of influential people in the town. Among them are a writer of science fiction who moved to the provinces (Andrew Scott), a doctor abandoned by his wife (Jeremy Renner), a lawyer (Kerry Washington) whose son is trying to build a political career (Daryl McCormack), and a cellist (Kaylee Spaine) who lost her ability to play after an injury. Additionally, Monsignor Weeks is always accompanied by his loyal assistant, who has spent her entire life at this church (Glenn Close), and her husband (Thomas Haden Church).

Monsignor Weeks uses hate rhetoric in his sermons, which is completely alien to Father Judd. Those who come to his church for the first time often become targets of undeserved attacks and do not return for a second sermon. However, the aforementioned admirers of Weeks are not affected by this, so they are all satisfied. This cannot be said for Father Judd, whose relationship with Weeks becomes increasingly strained.

When Weeks is found dead after the Good Friday sermon, suspicions immediately fall on Josh O’Connor's character. Especially since, at one time, as a boxer, he unintentionally killed a man. The local police (led by Mila Kunis) begin an investigation, ultimately involving the renowned detective Benoit Blanc, known from the first two "Knives Out" films. He does not believe that Father Judd is involved in the murder. The heroes will work together to unravel the mechanics of a crime that physically seemed impossible. After all, Weeks was struck by a blade in a tiny empty room that he entered after the sermon.

The creator of the "Knives Out" franchise, Rian Johnson, is an amazing director. Almost all of his works are made in different genres, and in each of them, he has managed to bring his fresh authorial vision. His first feature film, "Brick," became a cult classic. The author of these lines saw it twenty years ago in the now-defunct cinema "35 mm." At that time, no one remembered the name Rian Johnson, and the career of the lead actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt was just beginning to take off. However, word of mouth brought news that "Brick" was a must-see (as was almost the entire program of "35 mm," which showcased auteur cinema in the original with subtitles).

What attracted attention in the cast was primarily the name of Emily de Ravin, a star of the globally popular series "Lost." During the viewing, however, it turned out that she would have very little screen time, as she played the missing girl of the main character. At that point, one had to get immersed in the film, whose innovation lay in transferring the genre laws of film noir into the setting of school walls.

As in many noirs, it was almost impossible to figure out what was happening, but the dark and mysterious atmosphere redeemed everything.

In 2012, one had to puzzle over Johnson's "Looper" with the same Gordon-Levitt, who had become a big star, and Bruce Willis in the lead roles. This time, the author experimented with the genre of science fiction thriller about time travel, which gained extraordinary depth and even poignancy in the film. Five years later, Rian Johnson created a new episode of "Star Wars" ("Star Wars: The Last Jedi"), in which most critics saw freshness and originality (and at the same time, the director's sincere love for the franchise). However, there were also dissatisfied voices.

Since 2019, Rian Johnson has been in his detective era and is filming more frequently than before. It seemed that the genre had almost exhausted itself (nothing will ever surpass Agatha Christie), but Johnson revived it by adding contemporary issues to the classic plot structure. Social stratification, villainous tech capitalists... In the case of the third, newest installment, it deals, on one hand, with questions of faith, and on the other hand, of course, with power. Father Weeks represents the type of authoritarian ruler and proponent of conservative values. Father Judd, on the contrary, stands against violence against the individual; he advocates for equality and humanity. It becomes clear from the outset which of these approaches prevails in Rian Johnson's universe. Josh O’Connor's character exemplifies a very understandable faith, even for those far removed from religion. It consists of kindness and compassion, in love rather than intimidation. Hence, the atheist Benoit Blanc is inclined towards Father Judd.

In fact, it should be noted that Father Judd in the third installment of "Knives Out" turns out to be a more vivid character than Benoit Blanc. He has more screen time than the private detective. Whether it is due to the overwhelming charm of Josh O’Connor or the effect of novelty, one would like to see Father Judd in future installments.

Rian Johnson knows how to create not only engaging and unconventional plots but also great characters. Alongside "Knives Out," he launched the series "Poker Face" – one of the brightest in recent years. This is also a detective story, but structured in an unusual way. As in "Columbo," viewers, unlike the detective, initially know who the murderer is. Since the first third of each episode is mainly dedicated to the future victim, one quickly develops a strong sympathy for them. As it turns out later, the heroine Natasha Lyonne – Charlie Kale – also develops such sympathy for each victim. She, a woman on the run, somehow senses when someone is lying, which allows her to find murderers without being a professional detective. Like Father Judd, Charlie always demonstrates incredible sensitivity and empathy towards others.

Unfortunately, the Peacock service canceled "Poker Face" after the second season, but the creators hope to find another platform and funding to continue the series with a new main character instead of the incredible red-haired gravelly-voiced Natasha Lyonne. There is a suspicion that we are not yet parting with the "Knives Out" universe.