Beauty is Onion Deep

Daniel Craig and some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood to-day star in Rian Johnson's past couple films, Knives Out and 2022's Glass Onion*. Knives Out centered on the incomparable Ana de Armas and Glass Onion has the exquisite Janelle Monae. The newer film can also boast the presence of Jessica Henwick and Madelyn Cline (I accidentally typed "presents" and almost kept it!). And Kate Hudson looks gorgeous in a bikini in this movie, too. So there are plenty of good reasons to see this one.

As for the plot, Johnson's intentions seem to have been to start with something very stupid and show how it can seem clever. This leads to the central metaphor of a "glass onion" which, it's explained, can seem like something with intricate layers but the centre is actually visible at all times.

The title is also the name of a Beatles song, of course, and that song is used in the end credits. John Lennon's intention was to mock people who concocted complex theories about Beatles' lyrics ("Here's another clue for you all/The walrus was Paul"). And perhaps Johnson is also asking the audience not to read too much into his films. Maybe he's growing tired of being a poster boy for leftwing zealotry. Several of the rightwing monsters in this film, particularly Kate Hudson's character, are portrayed with a lot more affection.

However, anyone who believes Johnson buys into the "kill the past" line might feel Glass Onion gives them, shall we say, fuel for the fire.

Any attempt to apply logic to any aspect of the story will yield the viewer a senseless answer. Was it the protagonist's plan to survive being at the centre of a massive explosion? Are any of the coincidences that propel the plot meant to be at all plausible? I think Johnson is trying to say, "Nope, I'm not really trying to say anything." He's just trying to give us some campy fun.

At one point, Benoit Blanc, Craig's character, claims not to be Batman. Not the Christian Bale one or the Robert Pattinson one, no. But the Adam West one or the George Clooney one? Just maybe.

Glass Onion is available on Netflix.

*It's billed as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery but Johnson has said in interviews he prefers simply the title "Glass Onion" and so do I.

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