Murder on the Orient Express 2017
I don’t think I ever saw the original movie, which won a lot of acclaim in 1974, but I definitely read Agatha Christie’s book at some point. When a movie is made well, it doesn’t make much sense to do it over, and that seems to be the main complaint with the 2017 version of Murder on the Orient Express directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot with a horrible mustache. Despite the confines of a very short train, there is a pretty large cast, but they are mostly big names with a lot of diversity, which is helpful in keeping everyone straight. The big problem for me is this whodunnit story has one big twist and I already knew it. Sometimes that can work, like in Columbo where you would usually see the crime committed at the beginning of the show and then watch Columbo observe and gather evidence while the perpetrator schemes and squirms. But this isn’t presented like that and Poirot seems to come to some conclusions without explaining the clue. With time spent establishing a dozen or more characters, then gathering the clues for each potential suspect, there isn’t much time for real character development, and since the clues are pretty hard to pick up without Poirot explaining them, the audience has a hard time getting involved. Still, it is fun seeing a 1930’s period piece with such a rich cast (despite annoying Godiva product placement; did they really pay enough to make that worth it?). Overall it is hard to judge the movie since I feel like I was spoiled (along with maybe 75% of the audience?). I don’t feel like it is a bad movie and there are aspects I really like, but I don’t feel like it really worked as well as I would have liked, with too little drama and intrigue.
Written: 14 Aug 2021