Release date - November 26

Cert - 12

Run-time - 2 hours 24 minutes

Director - Rian Johnson

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called to investigate an unexplainable murder in a closed-off church, could the cause actually be spiritual?

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is a "proud heretic - I kneel at the altar of the rational." To challenge his belief Rian Johnson throws him into his most personally challenging mystery yet, an unexplainable murder which could be a divine, or demonic, act. A body tucked away in a rural New England church with nobody near at the time of death, during a service.

The starry congregation of suspects (including Glenn Close, Andrew Scott and Jeremy Renner - no references to Renning Hot, unfortunately) play out more as a collective rather than individuals. Johnson's screenplay appears to focus more on the challenge at hand for Blanc rather than the suspects, who it seems we don't spend as much time with as in the previous Knives Out features.

Where we see the characters most is flashbacks to the days building up to the murder, and the different perspectives that surround these events. Bringing in more jumping back and forth for this third outing for Johnson and Craig's detective.

With this comes an, intentionally, slower pace with more intense edges to the dramatic confrontations. Much of this headed by the local Monsignor (Josh Brolin - often looking like he's just walked out of The Ten Commandments) whose sermons are less the word of God and more fiery attacks on newcomers, including freshly-placed Father Jud Duplencity (Josh O'Connor).

As the man accused by the congregation, who believe he's stirring trouble before he arrives, we follow O'Connor's determined, yet nervous, priest battling with Craig's consistently entertaining detective facing the impossibility of the crime at hand.

A detail which provides some of the film's most interesting beats that Johnson really gets his fingers into, once again having great fun with the clues, details and reveals of the unfolding investigation. However, it's largely through Jud's eyes we see the film's events and O'Connor delivers a strong and compelling performance.

Amongst the more serious tone there's still a number of chuckles which don't distract from that, or the pacing, Things might not quite feel as tight this time around partly because of the pacing and the lack of time spent with the various characters as individual figures, but there's still plenty to be engaged and entertained by in the many details that Johnson's screenplay lays out, and will likely continue to reward re-watches.

It's these details that create the involving and intriguing nature that has made this trilogy, as it currently stands - Johnson has said that he and Craig are in the early stages of discussing ideas for a fourth film, and I'll continue to welcome more Benoit Blanc mysteries for years to come if they stay this good - as engaging and thrilling as it has been.

With sharper, more dramatic edges while Blanc might find it difficult to suspect foul play, it's easy for everyone else to suspect another finely executed Knives Out mystery.

Four stars