It was Director Johnson, on Netflix with the “Glass Onion.”

That’s the solution for the most fun you’re going to have watching a new movie at home this holiday season.

Writer/director Rian Johnson is back with a sequel to his hugely popular “Knives Out” murder mystery from 2019. After that movie’s success, Netflix threw a ton of money at Johnson to claim the sequels, and “Glass Onion” makes good on that deal. The sequel is just as much fun, just as cleverly written and just as artfully crafted as its predecessor.

And don’t worry if you missed “Knives Out” because you don’t need to see the first to enjoy and fully understand the second. The story and mystery are brand new, with only the ace detective character returning.

Tech billionaire Miles Bron has invited his close circle of friends - each successful in their own right - to his private island for a murder mystery dinner party. Also invited is world famous detective Benoit Blanc, whose presence is actually quite beneficial when someone is murdered for real.

“Glass Onion” keeps my hope alive that we’re going to get a whole new franchise of Benoit Blanc mystery films. Like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot before him, Blanc deserves to become a famous, reoccurring detective. We already know that Johnson and actor Daniel Craig are coming back for a third film in the series, but hopefully they can make many more in the years to come.

With Johnson both writing and directing these movies, he’s able to craft something truly special. The writing is as sharp as you’re going to find on the big screen. The dialogue, the jokes, the zingers, the twists; it’s all so much fun to watch play out. Johnson also peppers “Glass Onion” with all manner of clues, so the movie deserves more than one watch, especially once you know what you’re looking for there.

“Glass Onion” is a kaleidoscope of a movie mystery. All the clues are there; all the secrets are revealed in such clever ways, and then the movie warps and twists our expectations, using flashbacks and music cues to reveal even more of the big picture. And it all builds to the final reveal, when the mystery is solved and all the pieces fall into place in such glorious fashion.

This is a movie meant to be devoured and enjoyed. Johnson wants you to sink your teeth into every character, every clue, and then join him for the ride all the way to the end. It helps that he’s brought together such a fun and enjoyable cast to bring this to life.

Edward Norton is perfect as the smarmy tech genius Bron, with the likes of Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn and Kate Hudson, among others, rounding out the cast. To say nothing of Daniel Craig’s return as Benoit Blanc, with his folksy Southern charm. I could watch a dozen Benoit Blanc mysteries and never get tired of him.

If you enjoyed “Knives Out” before this, know with confidence that “Glass Onion” is a perfect sequel that easily lives up to the first. These are very clever movies, and are just so much fun to watch.

“Glass Onion” is streaming only on Netflix. It had a limited theatrical run in November, and may get another sometime next year.

For more discussion on the film, tune in to the Sentinel Cinema podcast at www.RomeSentinel.com/podcasts.