Year: 2017
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfieffer, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., and Judi Dench
Tagline: Everyone is a suspect.
Synopsis: Hercule Poirot must deduce a murderer aboard a luxury train stranded in the snow.
Tagline: Everyone is a suspect.
Synopsis: Hercule Poirot must deduce a murderer aboard a luxury train stranded in the snow.
Review
I've never read the Agatha Christie novel. Nor have I seen any other adaptation. So I went into Murder on the Orient Express having no idea who the murderer was. That greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the film.
This was also my first real introduction to Hercule Poirot. (I'm not sure the spoof version in Murder by Death should count.) I found Branagh's take on the eccentric Belgian detective to be quite enjoyable. He has humor, intellect, and just enough heart. Poirot has most of the best lines in the film and I enjoyed his dry humor and straightforward manner. While he certainly has an ego, I never felt it became overbearing.
The rest of the cast of characters are well-played but not very fleshed out. I suppose it is hard to get to know characters who are all on their guard. They are all suspects and all suspicious of each other. It was nice to see Daisy Ridley in a role other than Rey (in Star Wars). And it was interesting to see Josh Gad in a completely non-comedic role (he's the voice of Olaf from Frozen and plays Le Fou in the live action Beauty and the Beast).
Murder on the Orient Express is a period piece. It takes place in 1934 aboard a luxury train travelling through Europe only to get stuck after an avalanche blocks the tracks. I enjoyed the cinematography. The opening scenes nicely set up the time period. And the claustrophobia of the train cars/compartments is well-used and reflects the characters' own feelings of being trapped and closed in on.
The mystery is well laid out, with plenty of clues, twists, and red herrings. I've always enjoyed mysteries, so watching Poirot unravel the case was fun. It kept me engaged, though the film's pacing did slow a bit during his investigation.
The film is rated PG-13, but it's the tamest PG-13 I've seen in a while. Kids wouldn't enjoy it because of the subject matter and pacing. I don't recall any swearing, so if there is any, it's mild. There are a few mild innuendos (watch the trailers, that's about it). Obviously there's a murder.
Murder on the Orient Express is old-fashioned storytelling. It's a bit slow at points, but I grew up with films that require a bit of patience. The story is intriguing, which is why it's still around 80+ years later. At some point, I look forward to watching the film again, now that I know the end. It will be interesting to see how everything fits into place. I would also be pleased to see Kenneth Branagh return to the role of Poirot in another adventure.
If you are looking for an old-fashioned whodunit, I recommend booking passage on the Orient Express.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Nope. No spoilers here. I will say that the ending surprised me. Not entirely though. It all clicked into place in a satisfactory way.
This was also my first real introduction to Hercule Poirot. (I'm not sure the spoof version in Murder by Death should count.) I found Branagh's take on the eccentric Belgian detective to be quite enjoyable. He has humor, intellect, and just enough heart. Poirot has most of the best lines in the film and I enjoyed his dry humor and straightforward manner. While he certainly has an ego, I never felt it became overbearing.
The rest of the cast of characters are well-played but not very fleshed out. I suppose it is hard to get to know characters who are all on their guard. They are all suspects and all suspicious of each other. It was nice to see Daisy Ridley in a role other than Rey (in Star Wars). And it was interesting to see Josh Gad in a completely non-comedic role (he's the voice of Olaf from Frozen and plays Le Fou in the live action Beauty and the Beast).
Murder on the Orient Express is a period piece. It takes place in 1934 aboard a luxury train travelling through Europe only to get stuck after an avalanche blocks the tracks. I enjoyed the cinematography. The opening scenes nicely set up the time period. And the claustrophobia of the train cars/compartments is well-used and reflects the characters' own feelings of being trapped and closed in on.
The mystery is well laid out, with plenty of clues, twists, and red herrings. I've always enjoyed mysteries, so watching Poirot unravel the case was fun. It kept me engaged, though the film's pacing did slow a bit during his investigation.
The film is rated PG-13, but it's the tamest PG-13 I've seen in a while. Kids wouldn't enjoy it because of the subject matter and pacing. I don't recall any swearing, so if there is any, it's mild. There are a few mild innuendos (watch the trailers, that's about it). Obviously there's a murder.
Murder on the Orient Express is old-fashioned storytelling. It's a bit slow at points, but I grew up with films that require a bit of patience. The story is intriguing, which is why it's still around 80+ years later. At some point, I look forward to watching the film again, now that I know the end. It will be interesting to see how everything fits into place. I would also be pleased to see Kenneth Branagh return to the role of Poirot in another adventure.
If you are looking for an old-fashioned whodunit, I recommend booking passage on the Orient Express.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Nope. No spoilers here. I will say that the ending surprised me. Not entirely though. It all clicked into place in a satisfactory way.
Quotable Quotes
- "Forgive me. I am Belgian." -- Poirot
- "I know your mustache." -- Miss Debenham
- "You're Hercules Poirot." "Hercule. I don't fight the lions." -- Miss Debenham and Poirot
- "You are allowed a coincidence." -- Poirot to Princess Dragomir
- "If it were easy, they would not call me 'great.' Next theory." -- Poirot to Bouc
I’m interested in seeing it because I LOVE the book - one of Agatha Christie’s best. But I wonder if it would still be interesting. Was the acting well played? You said the cinematography is lovely; that’s good. The pacing is slow, which is disappointing in a movie, but matches the book. Was it graphic at all? That’s probably my biggest concern.
ReplyDeleteI thought the actors did a good job. I really enjoyed Kenneth Branagh in the role of Poirot. I didn't find it graphic. There's a little blood shown. The murder is shown off screen, but you do see the body.
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