Kenneth Branagh brings back a classic Agatha Christie mystery
There is no tradition in English literature quite as popular as the mystery. There are mysteries of every type—suspense, historical, true crime, noir, private eye, supernatural etc. My mother is even a fan of a series of mysteries that somehow involves cats (cats make the best detectives—they have an eye for detail that a dog could never muster).
People love mysteries because they allow the reader into a brilliant mind, encouraging them to stretch their own deductive muscles and outsmart the villains again and again. We all love a twist, but we love seeing it coming even more.
For most, the love of mysteries start early, with Caroline Keane’s “Nancy Drew” or “The Hardy Boys” or even “Scooby Doo”. These easy mysteries for children have their roots in the classics, in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes”, which himself can be traced back to Edgar Allen Poe’s “C. Auguste Dupin”.
While Holmes might be the best-known detective, Hercule Poirot, the brilliantly mustachioed Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie, is famous in his own right. Poirot has had a long career, performed on screen by actors that range from Albert Finney to Tony Randall to Orson Welles. Sir Kenneth Branagh is the most recent to tackle the character in one of his most famous tales, Murder on the Orient Express.
Hercule Poirot is a detective in the classic tradition. He is preternaturally obsessed with detail. It’s balance, you see. Poirot needs to the world to be perfect, from his breakfast to his sense of justice.
His work as a detective is simply a means to exert his control on an imperfect world. This is, of course, an exhausting way to view the world. And so, Hercule Poirot is in dire need of a vacation. While attempting to take time off in Istanbul (not Constantinople), Poirot meets his friend Bouc, the lecherous director of the Orient Express, who offers him a cabin and passage to London.
Poirot accepts eagerly aboard an unusually packed winter train, hoping to take a break from solving crimes. This is not to be, however, as a murder occurs just a few feet from his cabin and Poirot is forced to solve the case on a snowbound train, locked in with the murderer.
The new film is, as most films are now, a remake. The original film in 1974 is considered a classic, likely the most authentic telling of an Agatha Christie story. Ingrid Berhman even won an Oscar for her performance as Greta Ohlsson and rest of the cast had numerous nominations.
This begs the question of whether a new version is necessary. Does a classic movie that holds a 95 percent Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes really need another adaptation? What else is there to be said? Branagh certainly feels there is more to uncover. His version is no less classically made than the original film—he has a keen eye for direction and his acting is as strong as ever.
The cast of the film itself is packed with some of the best Hollywood has to offer. Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Josh Gad, and Michelle Pfeiffer all provide excellent performances in their roles, though most are underused in favor of Branagh’s fun interpretation of the genial, fussy detective.
If anything, every film starring Kenneth Branagh is worth your time. Even when the movie itself is underwhelming, Branagh’s performance is great. Here, he is clearly enjoying himself and pouring his talents into the character.
But that doesn’t necessarily equal an essential film. Overall, Murder on the Orient Express is entertaining and beautifully shot. No one who sees the film will be angry they did. It’s not an improvement over the original, however.
The question of why it was made, and why it was made now, is hard to answer. If there is a purpose, it could be to expose a new audience to Agatha Christie’s detective and maybe spur new interest in Poirot.
Given the average age of the audience who saw the film with me, the millennial generation and younger isn’t turning out.
There is another possibility, though. The film debuted between Thor: Ragnarok and Justice League. Maybe it’s simply an alternative to the glut of superheroes, giving adults a reason to go the movies. That’s a nice thought. Let’s go with that.