Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot investigates a murder while attending a Halloween seance at a haunted palazzo in Venice, Italy.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh
Release Date: September 13, 2023
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images and thematic elements
Runtime: 1h 40m
Kenneth Branagh's third Agatha Christie adaptation is just as lavishly directed and performed as his first two films, but the added dash of horror spices up the formula to the murder mystery template. Branagh gives this entry a decidedly different feel from the start as he makes great use of Venice on Halloween to set up an unsettling, spooky feel to the film. Once the film settles into its primary setting of the haunted palazzo Branagh throws in plenty of visual flourishes which makes wonderful use of off kilter angles and framing which make the film far more effective and engaging than if he'd played it more straightforward. The cast is again made up of a wonderful assortment of impressive international actors. Branagh leads the way with a slightly more weathered and cynical take on Hercule Poirot in this entry which gives this iteration of the character some much needed texture and depth outside of his sleuthing skills. Tina Fey joins the fray as Ariadne Oliver, an Agatha Christie proxy in the novels, with mixed results which leaves you feeling she's miscast in the role. Fey does her best but you get the sense somebody like Rachel Brosnahan would have been a better fit for this role. On the other end of the spectrum, Michelle Yeoh leaves a strong impression on the film even with her limited screen time. Kelly Reilly and Jamie Dornan do just enough to make their characters interesting but sadly both roles are fairly one dimensional. Jude Hill follows up his impressive performance in Branagh's award winning Belfast with another strong turn here. Hill possess such a natural ease on screen as he delivers lines with seasoned actors that you can't help but be impressed with the level of talent this 11 year old brings to the production. His interaction with Branagh early on is a surprising high point in the film which sets up a nice payoff in the end once the film concludes its twisty murder mystery. A Haunting in Venice shows there's still life in this film series, something Branagh's character reiterates onscreen as his legendary detective finds renewed purpose.
B+
