By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr.
A train ride, eccentric characters, and a murder mystery. The latest adaption of Agatha Christie's novel unravels its classic mystery to newer audiences, and it is one heck of a train ride.
Murder on the Orient Express is set on a lavish train ride with passengers set for different destinations and different purposes for their travels. What starts out as a lavish train ride turns to a crime scene when one of the passengers had been murdered. As a result, Detective Hercule Poirot, probably the world's greatest detective in the world, is assigned to solve the case and interrogate all the passengers aboard to find the unknown killer.
The cast has some part to play in lifting what could have been a completely dull trip on the Orient Express. Kenneth Branagh acts as both the lead and the director, and he's done some superb magic here. As we're introduced to his Hercule Poirot, he's seen measuring two eggs to see if they are both equally the same size. Branagh's Hercule Poirot is an eccentric detective who longs for a holiday, begs for a holiday even; from his cases, yet could never find himself to get it. He's all in for the cases, but unlike Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Poirot actually longs to take a break. Branagh's performance is a particularly great one, showing that he's able to capture Poirot's peculiarity and struggle in trying to solve a difficult murder case.
The characters range from the most calm to the most eccentric one of all. Every so often you'd see Judi Dench sulking and ordering her servant to do things for her, but it's not everyday that you will see Kenneth Branagh sleeping with a mustache mask or constantly laugh at a Charles Dickens novel, but Murder on the Orient Express brings out the eccentricity in everyone, or rather the absurdity of some. There's pinches of quirkiness in Branagh's Poirot, and there are some in how Willem Dafoe's character pronounces Turin. You can say that it is in some way, a very old-fashioned type of quirkiness, one you'd find in a Sherlock Holmes story, or in this case, an Agatha Christie story, fitting for a story set in that period. But it's the performances from Gad, Ridley, and Pfeiffer, that become the standout performers of the film.
The storytelling is definitely not a very straightforward one, though some twists can be seen from a mile away. It has Agatha Christie's stamp on it, if you were ever familiar in her story, but put it this way: it's quite similar to that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, just with more flair and style. It's a gorgeous film filled with great production that could garner an Oscar nomination for Production Design. The Orient Express is lavishly made, and shown as luxurious yet cozy. The Orient Express could even be a character of its own. It's a big umbrella to an extension of characters. When the camera glides from the outside of the train with Branagh's Poirot being pursued by Pfeiffer's Hubbard as he enters the train, it feels very classy and an effective introduction to the rest of the characters.
There is something thrilling, yet a little absurd in how the story is told, but it's a good kind of absurd. Period-style mysteries aren't always appreciated by how absurd or over stylistic they could get, but for some who do appreciate the genre, it is actually fun to play along. That's what Murder on the Orient Express did for me. It's part campy and partly absurd, yet it's all part of the glamorous experience of the story, and boisterous pieces to play with. Branagh clearly has taken cues from Christie with additional touches of his own. The thing about Christie's stories is that they can be considered outdated, convoluted even; and bringing it to a newer audience might not garner the same reaction as it would with devoted period-mystery fans or those familiar with Agatha Christie's stories. As absurd or as convoluted as they can get, it is still thrillingly good. Even the cinematography is luscious, such can be seen from scenes like the high angle shot where Poirot enters from one cabin to another, only to discover that there was a murder.
There's a downside to this, however. As stylish as it is on both visuals and story, it does get rather dull at times, and even to the point where it's full of itself. The pacing get can get rather fast, too; hence why it isn't much of a no-brainer. It's just that it expects the audience to have caught up with what happened as it quickly moves to another plot point. It clearly wants its audience to be fully on board with everything that's going on, and to participate in some way to solve the case. But in some parts of its quick pacing, some of its most interesting arcs are quickly dismissed for another less interesting arc (one of those being an interrogation scene with spectacular acting from Josh Gad).
Murder on the Orient Express is one of those films where you could either get seeped in to the mystery and the plot twists, or be bored out of your mind. It has its ups and downs, and it's not entirely great, but it is admittedly a fun murder mystery that's showered with style and flair that you'd find in classic murder mysteries. For anyone familiar with Agatha Christie's novel or the previous adaptations, a couple of its plot twists shouldn't come as a surprise, as it is essentially the same story, but slightly tinkered with and enhanced for newer audiences who wish to know the world of Agatha Christie. It's boisterous for those who have taken a liking of the genre and the time period that it is set in, but possibly dull for those who aren't
Star: 3.5/5
Trailer
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| Image source: IMDB |
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr.
A train ride, eccentric characters, and a murder mystery. The latest adaption of Agatha Christie's novel unravels its classic mystery to newer audiences, and it is one heck of a train ride.
Murder on the Orient Express is set on a lavish train ride with passengers set for different destinations and different purposes for their travels. What starts out as a lavish train ride turns to a crime scene when one of the passengers had been murdered. As a result, Detective Hercule Poirot, probably the world's greatest detective in the world, is assigned to solve the case and interrogate all the passengers aboard to find the unknown killer.
The cast has some part to play in lifting what could have been a completely dull trip on the Orient Express. Kenneth Branagh acts as both the lead and the director, and he's done some superb magic here. As we're introduced to his Hercule Poirot, he's seen measuring two eggs to see if they are both equally the same size. Branagh's Hercule Poirot is an eccentric detective who longs for a holiday, begs for a holiday even; from his cases, yet could never find himself to get it. He's all in for the cases, but unlike Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Poirot actually longs to take a break. Branagh's performance is a particularly great one, showing that he's able to capture Poirot's peculiarity and struggle in trying to solve a difficult murder case.
 |
| Image source: Entertainment Weekly |
The characters range from the most calm to the most eccentric one of all. Every so often you'd see Judi Dench sulking and ordering her servant to do things for her, but it's not everyday that you will see Kenneth Branagh sleeping with a mustache mask or constantly laugh at a Charles Dickens novel, but Murder on the Orient Express brings out the eccentricity in everyone, or rather the absurdity of some. There's pinches of quirkiness in Branagh's Poirot, and there are some in how Willem Dafoe's character pronounces Turin. You can say that it is in some way, a very old-fashioned type of quirkiness, one you'd find in a Sherlock Holmes story, or in this case, an Agatha Christie story, fitting for a story set in that period. But it's the performances from Gad, Ridley, and Pfeiffer, that become the standout performers of the film.
The storytelling is definitely not a very straightforward one, though some twists can be seen from a mile away. It has Agatha Christie's stamp on it, if you were ever familiar in her story, but put it this way: it's quite similar to that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, just with more flair and style. It's a gorgeous film filled with great production that could garner an Oscar nomination for Production Design. The Orient Express is lavishly made, and shown as luxurious yet cozy. The Orient Express could even be a character of its own. It's a big umbrella to an extension of characters. When the camera glides from the outside of the train with Branagh's Poirot being pursued by Pfeiffer's Hubbard as he enters the train, it feels very classy and an effective introduction to the rest of the characters.
There is something thrilling, yet a little absurd in how the story is told, but it's a good kind of absurd. Period-style mysteries aren't always appreciated by how absurd or over stylistic they could get, but for some who do appreciate the genre, it is actually fun to play along. That's what Murder on the Orient Express did for me. It's part campy and partly absurd, yet it's all part of the glamorous experience of the story, and boisterous pieces to play with. Branagh clearly has taken cues from Christie with additional touches of his own. The thing about Christie's stories is that they can be considered outdated, convoluted even; and bringing it to a newer audience might not garner the same reaction as it would with devoted period-mystery fans or those familiar with Agatha Christie's stories. As absurd or as convoluted as they can get, it is still thrillingly good. Even the cinematography is luscious, such can be seen from scenes like the high angle shot where Poirot enters from one cabin to another, only to discover that there was a murder.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
There's a downside to this, however. As stylish as it is on both visuals and story, it does get rather dull at times, and even to the point where it's full of itself. The pacing get can get rather fast, too; hence why it isn't much of a no-brainer. It's just that it expects the audience to have caught up with what happened as it quickly moves to another plot point. It clearly wants its audience to be fully on board with everything that's going on, and to participate in some way to solve the case. But in some parts of its quick pacing, some of its most interesting arcs are quickly dismissed for another less interesting arc (one of those being an interrogation scene with spectacular acting from Josh Gad).
Murder on the Orient Express is one of those films where you could either get seeped in to the mystery and the plot twists, or be bored out of your mind. It has its ups and downs, and it's not entirely great, but it is admittedly a fun murder mystery that's showered with style and flair that you'd find in classic murder mysteries. For anyone familiar with Agatha Christie's novel or the previous adaptations, a couple of its plot twists shouldn't come as a surprise, as it is essentially the same story, but slightly tinkered with and enhanced for newer audiences who wish to know the world of Agatha Christie. It's boisterous for those who have taken a liking of the genre and the time period that it is set in, but possibly dull for those who aren't
Star: 3.5/5
Trailer
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