❗❗MILD SPOILERS SO BE WARNED IF YOU ARE YET TO SEE THE FILM❗❗
Disclaimer: ALL PICTURES PROPERTY OF 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
Genre is Mystery/ Crime
Duration is 1hr 47min
Rolling into spooky season with Branagh's new mystery/crime/drama following the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, I was finally able to watch A Haunting in Venice (Branagh's third Poirot film following Murder on the Orient Express, and Death on the Nile) last week.
I thoroughly enjoyed his previous films and so I was very excited to watch this one and after seeing it I can say I wasn't disappointed. With a darker twist than his previous two, this film is captivating, full of suspense, and perfect to ease you into October or provide a thrilling watch for family and friends.
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'A Haunting In Venice' marks director Kenneth Branagh's return as the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, in his third adaption of one of Agatha Christie's novels, the previous being 'Murder on the Orient Express' (2017), and 'Death on the Nile' (2022).
The story, loosely based on Christie's novel 'Hallow'een Party', takes place in late 1940s Venice, Italy, and follows Poirot as he embarks on his most challenging case yet - the mystery of a haunted house.
Having said 'goodbye' to life as a world-famous detective, Poirot is dragged from his life of exile back into the spotlight by his author-friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) to attend a seance on All Hallows' Eve, the objective of which is to make contact with the dead daughter of the famous opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly). Events take a much darker turn, however, when one of the attendees is murdered.
With a storm raging outside preventing escape or assistance, the guests are forced to bunker down for the night, and Poirot must take up the reins once again to solve the case.
But is this case too much even for the famous Hercule Poirot?
As a fan of Branagh's previous adaptations, I was excited to see this new film. Unlike his two previous stories, this one had a darker edge, with the threat no longer being a mere person but possibly a supernatural being.
Poirot is a man of fact, he believes in what he sees and what the evidence reveals to him to be the truth of the situation. Therefore when he is placed in this situation with the antagonist an apparent supernatural entity, it goes against everything he knows and tips his whole worldview off balance, and us along with him.
Of course, the true perpetrator is revealed to be a person, and not Casper the friendly ghost, and Poirot's supernatural encounters are explained away. However, those scenes of suspense and mystery that leave Poirot in a state of shock and confusion, and questioning his state of mind and the reality of an afterlife are what set this film apart from the previous.
Especially seeing as at the start of the film we see that Poirot has retired from his life as a detective, and is trying to live a quiet and content life in Venice, free from the pain and struggle these cases bring. This case forces him into a corner and leaves him questioning his state of mind and his ability to live up to his reputation as a world-famous detective and solve the case.
Moreover, I enjoyed how even by the end of the film, the question of whether or not there is a ghost is still left hanging open. Despite the murderer being exposed there are still moments that support that possibility. Is it Poirot's mind playing tricks, or is it real? The absence of a definitive conclusion leaves the viewer with a feeling of mystery and excitement as they walk away.
A personal issue I had with this, and his previous films, was the pacing. The first half can feel slow and dragging at times before it all starts to move into place for the final act in the 'whodunit' section of the story, where the murderer is exposed and the whole backstory surrounding the crime is revealed. But for that first half, it can feel a bit monotonous as Poirot simply travels around interviewing the other individuals and gathering information.
Moreover, I felt that at times the characters appear bland. Instead of feeling a sense of depth, they are presented almost as characters brought to life from a game of Cluedo. The war doctor suffering from PTSD, the nanny who fears the ghosts haunting the old house, the mysterious medium who can talk to spirits, etc. They feel, at times, very generic.
Obviously, with this genre (be it in books, films, games, or plays) it's normal to have these character tropes that serve specific functions for the story, but I believe it would be satisfactory if there was more fluidity and depth to the characters that see them breaking out of their stereotypical character roles more.
However, that isn't to say that there aren't any twists and turns with the story and its protagonists.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this film and it will definitely require more viewings, as each time you notice something new. Kenneth Branagh has once again successfully brought Poirot to the screen. With a flair for the theatrical but at his core the determination to solve these cases no matter the cost, Branagh's portrayal of Poirot is so enjoyable to watch.
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