Glass Onion critiques the tech elite’s role in perpetuating automation-driven inequality and globalization’s exploitative practices. Through its layered narrative and setting, the film underscores the need to address these issues’ root causes rather than masking them with innovation theatrics. The mystery’s resolution—a call for accountability—mirrors real-world demands for ethical tech development and equitable global systems.
Exploitation : Birdie’s sweatshop scandals and cultural appropriation (e.g., her “sweatpants line”) directly tie to globalization’s dark side: outsourcing labor to low-wage countries while profiting from unethical practices. Her obliviousness (“I don’t do politics”) mirrors corporations that feign ignorance about supply chain abuses.
Consumerist: Duke’s reliance on Alpha-funded gadgets (e.g., the “HyperBreath” device) critiques consumerism driven by globalized tech monopolies. His death—poisoned by a drink meant for Miles—symbolizes how even those complicit in the system become casualties of its excesses.
Global wealth centralization: Miles’s empire relies on global supply chains and offshore labor (implied by his wealth and resources). His island—a playground built with global capital—epitomizes how elites exploit globalization to hoard power while ignoring its ethical consequences. Enjoing over demended wealth including Mona Lisa yet also creates vulnerabilities.
As a billionaire founder of Alpha (a tech conglomerate), Miles represents the unchecked power of Silicon Valley elites who prioritize automation for profit. His “disruptive” innovations likely displace workers, mirroring real-world debates about AI and robotics eroding jobs. His obsession with controlling systems (e.g., the island’s automated security) symbolizes tech leaders’ detachment from automation’s human costs.
Enabler of Corporate Power: As a governor running for Senate, Claire takes bribes from Miles, symbolizing how politicians enable automation and globalization to benefit corporations. Her hypocrisy (campaigning as a “progressive” while serving elites) mirrors real-world deregulation that allows tech giants to dominate labor markets and global trade.
Automation’s Distraction: Duke, a men’s rights streamer, represents how automation and globalization fuel a culture of distraction. His brand thrives on outrage and superficiality, mirroring how tech platforms monetize division while obscuring systemic issues like job loss or wage stagnation.
Automation’s Cultural Homogenization: Birdie’s vapid brand—built on trends and automation-driven fast fashion—reflects how globalization flattens cultural uniqueness into marketable products.
Johnson, Rian, et al. “Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery.” IMDb, 23 Dec. 2022, www.imdb.com/title/tt11564570/.