Murder On The Orient Express

Story: Based on Agatha Christie’s celebrated crime mystery novel, the film revolves around the murder of a dubious businessman aboard the luxurious first class compartment of the Orient express. With almost every co-passenger being a suspect, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot’s (Kenneth Branagh) sharp deduction skills are put to test once again.

Review: Loaded with mysterious intentions, cheeky humour, clever repartee and an ensemble cast that comprises some of cinema’s biggest names, Murder on the Orient Express makes for an intriguing watch. Strangers being stranded on a stalled train makes for a great premise, given the thrill of finding a killer lurking around.

However, this dangerous train ride has its own delays if not derailment. Kenneth Branagh who plays the most crucial character of Poirot and directs the film as well, looks like he is trying to bite off more than he can chew.

While he manages to infuse the necessary underlying tension, awkwardness and silence between his characters, he and his dramatic moustache and accent struggle to make this retelling of 1930s whodunit, appeal to the contemporary audience. To set an entire movie in just one frame (train compartment) and yet make it look engaging is another challenge. Branagh wins some, loses some.

We particularly liked how he captures his characters as they steal a glance at each other. You wish the story played around their unspoken emotions a little more before diving straight into the investigation. Character buildup seems hurried and thus ineffective.

Speaking of Poirot and his obsession for ‘balance’, only if Branagh had maintained that as a director as well. Barring Michelle Pfeiffer and Branagh himself, most talented actors like Judi Dench and Penelope Cruz get lost in the crowd.

Overall, despite the glitches and avalanches, thanks to a stellar cast and gripping source material, this mysterious train journey is worth taking. Does it have a twist in the end? You have to watch the movie to know that.