In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.
I remember growing up and watching various iterations of super sleuth Hercule Poirot on the big and small screen. Albert Finney played him once in the 1974 cinematic version of “Murder on the Orient Express,” followed by Peter Ustinov, who played him six times, starting with “Death on the Nile” (1978), “Evil Under the Sun” (1982) and “Appointment with Death” (1988). He also made three TV movies: “Thirteen at Dinner” (1985), “Dead Man’s Folly” (1986), and “Murder in Three Acts” (1986) before retiring from the role. David Suchet took over for the TV series “Agatha Christie’s Poirot” from 1989 until 2013, leaving the door open for Kenneth Branagh to inherit the role in the 2017 big-screen remake of “Murder on the Orient Express.”
While each actor brought their own quirks and personal attributes to their portrayal of the celebrated detective, Branagh thoroughly shines in the role as if it were tailor-made for him. With his accent, obsession for order and method, inflated ego, and Handlebar Mustache, Branagh immerses himself thoroughly in every trait, over time, his character and persona, and even his irksome oddities, growing on you.
In “A Haunting in Venice,” Poirot has retired and is living in the beautiful City of Canals when Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), a mystery novelist and old friend of his, requests his company at a séance that night being held by the beautiful but reticent medium Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh). She informs him that she has seen things she cannot explain at previous rituals Joyce conducted and insists that he join her for what she promises will be an unforgettable evening. Poirot concedes and agrees to go with her, but only because of their friendship. Once at the location, the séance gets underway, but shortly after, a guest mysteriously dies, and Poirot has no choice but to come out of retirement to try and solve the murder. After locking the house down, two more guests die, and Poirot begins seeing a young girl roaming the hallways, a girl who once used to live there but passed years earlier. Now, he must contend that the killer may not be human but a ghost from the past.
While the book that “A Haunting in Venice” is based on, Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel ‘Hallowe’en Party,’ initially takes place in England, Branagh and co. decided to change the location to Venice, and the film is all the better because of it. I know I would much rather watch a movie that takes place in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve during a violent thunderstorm in a spooky 5-story Venetian house than an old English cottage, but that’s just me.
As with Branagh’s two previous Agatha Christie adaptations, “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile,” he once again assembles a top-notch cast including Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Michelle Yeoh, and Kelly Reilly. While each gets their moment to shine, Kelly Reilly steals the spotlight. Known as the feisty, foul-mouthed Beth Dutton on “Yellowstone,” here, she gets to act with her own accent and portrays a grieving mother who has lost her only daughter. Early on, Reilly displays a heartbroken vulnerability as she recounts how her daughter became sick and eventually took her own life, leaving her with no one and nothing. She gives one of the most unpretentious and natural performances of her career to date. The rest of the cast are fine in their respective roles, but Reilly eclipses them, with only Branagh coming in a close second.
So many audiences today, when they go and see a scary movie, are used to “The Conjuring,” “Insidious,” or “Smile,” films that use jump scares and plenty of blood and gore. Here, Branagh and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, who previously worked together on “Belfast,” “Death on the Nile,” and “Murder on the Orient Express,” shoot “A Haunting in Venice” as a homage to the films of the particular period the movie takes place in, the 1940s. No handheld camerawork, plenty of static shots where Branagh allows his actors to move around freely within the frame instead of following them everywhere they go, and a bevy of Dutch Angles to infuse fear and dread into the fray. Very little blood is used, and, of course, the supernatural elements are there, insignificant at first but gradually working their way into the psyche of the characters, specifically Poirot, who states early on that he doesn’t believe in an afterlife but as the story progresses, and he experiences moments of unexplained phenomena, he begins to realize that maybe, just maybe, those who lost their lives might very well have been at the hands of a supernatural entity.
“A Haunting in Venice” is a pure delight. The performances carry it from beginning to end, and the location becomes a character in and of itself. This is Branagh’s best Agatha Christie adaptation to date, filled with palpable tension and blood-curdling ambiance, and I can’t wait to see what Branagh and co. will work on next.
Now available on Digital HD and on Hulu,
and on Blu-ray™ and DVD November 28th
