Murder On The Orient Express

Year: 2017
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Leslie Odom Jr.


Plot: When a murder takes place aboard the Orient Express, famed detective Hercule Poirot, who happened to be on the train, is recruited to investigate.


Review: Not being a fan of Agatha Christie's novels, I hadn't watched the original adaptation in 1974 nor read the book, so I shall review this with fresh eyes. I'll begin by saying it is a thoroughly enjoyable film.

Kenneth Branagh, who not only directs, but stars as Hercule Poirot, presents a classic whodunit story the best way possible; with intrigue, suspense and a touch of humour, with a quick pace to match. There is rarely a dull moment here as Branagh and his esteemed cast drive the plot together, and they work extremely well with each other on screen.

From a technical standpoint, the film is beautiful to watch. While some of the exterior shots were probably green screens, there were many real locations used here as well to showcase the gorgeous snowy mountains surrounding the train. Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos not only excelled in capturing the exterior shots, but also the tight spaces of the train corridors and ingeniously shooting from the ceiling at times. Praise must also be given to set design, costume design and music, whose crew all perform to high expectations.

The cast are all up to the task in bringing their roles to life. While Branagh obviously gets the lion's share of the scenes, and owns each one too, the others such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and even Josh Gad have their moment to shine. I must admit, I do feel Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench and Johnny Depp are quite underused here, but even so, they make their appearances count.

Not being familiar with the story, I was quite surprised by the final revelation, and Branagh executed it well. In reality it would seem rather far fetched, but this is a work of fiction, so I don't really have an issue with it.

Overall Murder On The Orient Express is a very entertaining piece of work. The purists have already criticised it, but I say just go see it for yourself and enjoy it. (8/10)