‘Murder on the Orient Express’ Movie Review: Hercule Poirot is reintroduced in star-studded thriller
Hercule Poirot is back for a new generation as Kenneth Branagh immerses himself in the film as both the star and director of Murder on the Orient Express.
The plot is familiar, for fans of the either Agatha Christie’s novel or Sidney Lumet’s famous 1974 adaptation starring Albert Finney. Set during the age of transportation, thirteen strangers are sharing a carriage on a train from Istanbul to Calais. One of them (Johnny Depp) is murdered in his cabin with a dozen stab wounds, and the rest are trapped on the train by a snowdrift that has blocked the tracks.
Who among them is the killer? Enter the World’s Greatest Detective: Poirot (Branagh), and he will solve the mystery because that is what he does.
Audiences get a brief introduction, learning more about the quirky Poirot, an inveterate perfectionist, rivaling Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes with a blend of love and hate for the character. Watch it now, stream it with a HBO Go VPN.
Branagh’s remake of Murder on the Orient Express labors through the cinematic quality with an all-star cast which included Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Willem DaFoe and Derek Jacobi.
There are minor changes from the novel other than the avoidance of Poirot’s comedic presence. Like Holmes, Poirot wows strangers by intuiting their origins and professions on the basis of minute physical details. Sadly there is too much Branagh and not enough of this amazing cast.
Murder on the Orient Express is a beautiful film, reflecting an old-school style of film making, but will be tedious for some.
Branagh shot the film in the 65-millimeter format, which offers a particular kind of “big movie” resolution.
Unlike spoilers of films like Star Wars or Psycho, the twist ending to Murder on the Orient Express seems relatively intact and preserved. Fans of Christie may be torn to see the new film and Branagh’s version will likely receive mixed reviews.
Murder on the Orient Express receives 4 out of 5 stars
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