BY: JOE SIMILE / CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kenneth Branagh returned for his third adaptation of Agatha Christie’s detective sleuth Hercule Poirot. The most recent iteration, A Haunting in Venice debuted in theaters on Sept. 15, A Haunting in Venice is loosely based on Christie’s Hallowe’en Party.
While much of the advertising for the film was focused on the supernatural and a horror-like feel, this is still a good old fashioned Hercule Poirot whodunit. The film features an ensemble cast featuring Tiny Fey, Kyrle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh.
As is typical for a Michael Green screenplay, the audience is left wondering the whole time who is behind the murder at hand. Is there really a murderer among the group? Or has the supernatural taken matters into their own hands? Viewers are truly left pondering until the very end exactly what is happening around the gorgeous Palazzo in Venice.
We are also left early on wondering if opera star Rowena Drake’s (Kelly Reilly) daughter Alicia (Rowan Robinson) truly committed suicide, as medium Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh) is summoned to host a séance, and has seemingly relayed the message that Alicia was murdered in Alicia’s voice.
Branagh turns in yet another fantastic performance both as director and as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. He does another wonderful job of bringing Poirot to life. This film sees Poirot truly question himself, with him losing faith in God and humanity. He begins to question his own sanity and humanity, having an introspective investigation amongst the madness of the mystery.
Reilly, Reynolds, Cottin, Tina Fey and Jamie Dornan turned in spectacular performances, keeping tensions high throughout the entirety of the hour and 43 minutes of the film. However, 13 year old rising star Jude Hill truly stole the show.
Hill got his start on the big screen with some familiar faces, playing Buddy, loosely based on Branagh, in 2021’s Belfast. Belfast was directed by Branagh and loosely based on his upbringing. Jamie Dornan also starred in the film, lending beautiful chemistry to the father-son connection Hill and Dornan had in A Haunting in Venice. Hill’s incredibly strong performance brought about so many emotions, he portrayed a true, unbridled love for his father, but a constant anxiety about the mental state of him and the financial state of their family. He illustrates an incredible sense of intelligence which is brought up regularly throughout the film. It would be shocking if the up-and-coming Hill doesn’t become a household name in the years to come.
The film’s tone ranged from supernatural, anxious, to shocked, and that couldn’t have been possible without the wonderful score from Icelandic composer Hildur Guonadóttir. It was the first in the series not to be composed by Patrick Doyle.
There are some complaints regarding the character development of some of the ensemble cast, as it seemed each character only got one scene to establish background and then wasn’t touched up on again. While this did seem to be the case, it didn’t take much away from the great mystery and the emotional appeal of the film.
A Haunting in Venice had a different vibe than the first two movies of the trilogy, Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. It is spooky and dark, there is emphasis on real, deep trauma. Many of the characters are actively carrying grief, whether from the war or their own personal tragedies. There are jump scares at random moments to keep you on your toes and really reinforce the horror elements of this movie. It is somehow much more psychological than the last two films of the series.
The movie was truly beautiful to watch. The sets were gorgeous, the cinematography was stunning, smooth and compelling. The shots of Venice dressed up as post-war Venice were awesome. It was beautiful and nostalgic.
All three of Branagh’s Hercule Poirot movies were wonderful. With the basis of an Agatha Christie mystery, the audience is consistently left wondering and questioning, paired with the fantastic performances by Branagh and each movie's respective casts, all three films are great watches. They all feel unique from each other while still feeling connected by the star character. While Death on the Nile faced criticism for the slow burn and awkward pacing, this was absolutely not the case in A Haunting in Venice. Branagh and Green learned from their mistakes, and the most recent adaptation has an enthralling pace. While I love all three movies, and I do think it’s awfully close between A Haunting in Venice and Murder on the Orient Express, I have to say I think the newest iteration is the best of the three. I highly recommend this film for anybody who loves mystery, suspense, or the paranormal. (Truth be told, I highly recommend all three movies).
Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice was an incredibly fun movie. It matches the mystery of Christie with the modern filmmaking techniques of today, coupled with a compelling script from Michael Green, it was one of the best movies of the year. A stacked cast who turned in stellar performances with wonderful sets and A-tier cinematography made for a truly captivating film. It is a wonderful modern rendition of old school Hollywood mysteries with a perfectly balanced twist of horror.
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