As a fan of the murder mystery, one of the best aspects of the genre is deducing the culprit alongside the detective. The problem with Hercule Poirot’s last two outings is that we know those Agatha Christie stories quite well. Most mystery fans already knew the endings of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Add to that some problematic casting choices, and Kenneth Branagh had some issues with the first two films. To be fair, though, both those movies are incredible and show Branagh’s ability to keep you invested in a story you already know while doing his best as Poirot. That being said, there wasn’t really a mystery element to them (for some of us, at least).
That all changes with A Haunting in Venice. Based on the Christie story titled Hallowe’en Party, the film takes place in Venice, where a retired Poirot (Branagh) is dragged back into the world of mystery with a new case. Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly) is trying to use a seance to connect with her daughter and Poirot is forced to question whether or not he believes in ghosts (both real and metaphorical).
With a screenplay by Michael Green (who penned Branagh’s first two Poirot films), the movie is packed with an all-star cast, including Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, and Jude Hill, who previously played Dornan’s son in Branagh’s film Belfast.
A line-up of suspects
Yeoh, fresh off her Oscar win, delivers a brilliant performance as the mysterious medium Mrs. Reynolds. Tina Fey plays novelist Ariadne Oliver, who has made Poirot famous through her mystery novels (and functions as a Christie surrogate in the film). The two performers stand out in a sea of exciting characters for Poirot to interact with.
With a runtime of only one hour and 47 minutes (the shortest of Branagh’s Poirot outings yet), we still know enough about each of the players who came to the seance to understand their motives as the mystery unfolds. Much like Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the cast has every actor you could think of, and still, Poirot finds a way to shine in the midst of their chaos.
Finding Poirot’s footing
The movie as a whole is more suspenseful than the previous two films, and it also shows Branagh finding his footing as Poirot. After the death of his beloved Bouc (Tom Bateman) in Death on the Nile and the case that seemingly broke Poirot, we can see him struggling to let his old methods die in A Haunting in Venice.
Even when those around him are begging for help (as people line up outside his door and wait for him to come out each morning), he refuses to get back into the mystery-solving business. But the case of Rowena Drake and her daughter lures him back to what he does best.
Overall, A Haunting in Venice marks a new chapter for Branagh’s Hercule Poirot, as well as Branagh as a director. The movie is stunning in its Venetian setting, and Branagh’s foray into darker fare reminds me of his signature work in Hamlet (1996).
A Haunting In Venice is magical to watch and will make you want to go back time and time again to pick up the clues you missed before. Branagh’s Poirot films just keep getting better, and I have high hopes for what the future holds for his Hercule Poirot.
(featured image: 20th Century Studios)
Published: Sep 10, 2023 02:54 pm