Receiving a special release in a mere 600 theatres on November 23, 2022, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the long awaited sequel to Kinives Out, the 2019 cult classic murder mystery film. In the same fashion as its predecessor, Glass Onion follows Benoit Blanc, a world class detective desperate to crack a case. 

Glass Onion opens on several D-list celebrities, seemingly unconnected, receiving mystery boxes from a mysterious “Miles.” Their familiarity with each other is soon exposed, as the four join a group call and work together to decipher the puzzles that lock their identical packages. 

Once opened, the boxes reveal uniform letters, which invite the recipient to a weekend getaway on Miles’s private beach. In addition to the invitation, the letter includes a sneak peak into what the vacation will include — Miles’s death. 

Benoit Blanc is also shown receiving an invitation, which he accepts out of boredom. It turns out, the COVID-19 pandemic and self isolation inhibits the work of a private detective, who would have thought!

As the guests arrive at Miles’s island, shenanigans ensue, friendships are tested, and loyalty is proven during the 139 minute duration of the film. 

Only five days prior, on November 18, 2022, Cinemas across the globe were graced with The Menu, the long awaited comedy-horror starring Anya Taylor Joy and Nicholas Hoult. 

The Menu follows Tyler and Margot, the former of which is a self proclaimed “avid foodie.” The pair meet on a dock, and are greeted with the other guests of the night, which include a famous actor, restaurant critic, and small gaggle of finance bros. 

A singular seat to eat at Hawthorn, the exclusive restaurant that unites these strangers, is $1,250.00. The lofty price of dining at Hawthorne elicits the guests fit a certain demographic, primarily that of an extremely wealthy class. 

Once on Hawthorne island, Margot quickly discovers that this high esteemed culinary experience isn’t quite what it seems 

Despite being of different genres, the general plot and storyline of both The Menu and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are strangely similar. 

If interested in an introspective satire around wealth and status, The Menu is a wonderful film that addresses these heavy topics lightheartedly. 

Glass Onion, although a continuation of Knives Out, can be seen either with or without having seen its predecessor. It is a clever, star-studded film that is both a fun mystery while also being a poignant reflection on moral values, friendship, and corruption of the elite. 

Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead!

Both Glass Onion and The Menu have the basic plot revolving around following a mysterious guest who’s been brought to a private island, surrounded by people out of their typical social sphere, and are greeted by the head of the island who confronts them about their presence. 

Additionally, the endings to both films are astoundingly similar. 

The Menu concludes with Margot’s intellectual defeat of Hawthorne’s head Chef and escape from the island via boat. As she races away, the island ignites and is quickly engulfed in flames. 

Glass Onion, also ends in a boat escaping from the island, yet again due to the island’s descent into flames. 

Before the final escape scenes, both stories also include an elaborate plot point about the island prisoners attempting to call for help, but being unable to do so because of technological problems relating to the island’s high-tech dock. 

Despite the similarities of both stories, they are still stand alone films which are both worthy of viewing.