I remember the first time I saw Knives Out. It was in theaters, near the end of the year, in 2019. And from the moment I watched it, I was hooked. I’ve remained a fan, as it sits among my favorite films of all time. It was a brilliant whodunnit with an outstanding cast.

When Rian Johnson made a deal with Netflix to continue the franchise, I knew we were in for more fun. That was the case when The Glass Onion dropped in December of 2022, and it’s the case now with Wake Up Dead Man, the third film in the franchise. It is another excellent and engaging murder mystery romp with another great cast.

The film had a limited run in theaters and drops on Netflix on Friday. It’s a great film to check out for fans, especially if you’re a fan of Josh O’Connor.

The film is focused on young priest Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor). A former boxer, he’s been assigned to a remote and struggling parish under the senior priest Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). But the two don’t get along well, and don’t seem to have the same vision for the role, the world, or the church.

When Wicks ends up dead, it puts Duplenticy in the hot seat. He, in turn, suspects a small group of parishioners and staff (Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormick, Jeremy Renner, Cailee Spaeny, and Thomas Haden Church) of having played a role. With the police chief (Mila Kunis) breathing down his neck, he’s searching for answers.

Soon, detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) arrives to look into the case. He teams with Duplenticy to learn more about the church, its attendees, and get to the bottom of a seemingly impossible murder.

Wake Up Dead Man is a fun return to the world of Benoit Blanc. It’s a solid original story that has another excellent cast. But, like the other two in the series, it finds ways to be unique and approach this story all on its own.

In fact, in recent years, Johnson has been plying his mystery writing to the small screen with Poker Face. That series frequently had long introductions from the point-of-view of the character involved before we met our chief detective and sunk into a familiar formula. I couldn’t help but think of that with this film, which spends a lot of time having Duplenticy weaving his story before we launch into Blanc and the investigation. And it works well.

It’s been a big year for O’Connor, who has shinned in several different roles. That’s certainly the case here. He’s the center of the narrative and he does a beautiful job of carrying this story and this character. You can’t help but root for him, and his back-and-forth with Blanc is a lot of fun, too. I enjoyed the mystery, but I enjoyed the journey and the exploration of faith that was wrapped up in this story.

That’s not to say it doesn’t have some fun twists, too. The whole cast is good here, with each getting a different moment to shine. I loved the production and the look of the film, and I really enjoyed the ride. These films have all been a lot of fun, and this is no exception. It’s one of my favorite films of the year and a great December ride that’s worth seeking out.

Wake Up Dead Man streams on Netflix starting Friday, December 12.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.