Wake Up Dead Man
I usually just shitpost on Letterboxd but I had actual thoughts on Wake Up Dead Man:
I'm through the door on these for Craig, and I had a good time overall here.
But after three of these there is something I can't quite put my finger on that does start to bug me. My first thought was that the mysteries are getting too intricate, beyond convoluted for their own sake. I don't sit down at Columbo or Poirot demanding to solve it before they do, but there is a pleasing line being played with on how complex the puzzle is.
These mysteries feel too complicated! My next thought was, perhaps it's the manner of delivery. Johnson loves to jump back and forth in the narrative timeline not just as part of mystery reveals but to specifically recontextualize the sequence of events for the viewer. Even how Blanc enters the story is in itself a puzzle; usually someone just interrupts Poirot's tisane and the story continues.
I think these are effective for the emotional journey of the film, but it makes for a mystery that feels disjointed and unsatisfying. Johnson clearly likes to play with the structure of the mystery, but it feels like it's less a mystery series and something more meta. And maybe that's ok? This is still a well made and well acted film, but I think next time my expectations will have to be different.