Murder on the
Orient Express is a captivating film, more so for the characters involved
than the story itself. The movie didn’t make me think deeply about what was
going on or who the murderer was. Instead, I was more intrigued by how the
lead, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), was going to tie it all together.
It was easy to
guess who was involved in the murder—the clues kind of helped—but I think if I
were a detective, it would seem silly to guess the killer based on the clues I
saw at the crime scene.
Directed by and
starring Kenneth Branagh, this adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel boasts an
A-list cast. We had Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Josh Gad, Michelle
Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, and Johnny Depp. All of them, and more, were present on
the train, and one of them was murdered.
The movie starts
with the introduction of our lead, Hercule Poirot, a master detective who
claims he sees the world as it should be, and imperfections stand out to him.
On his way to another case in another country, he meets an old friend who
oversees the Orient Express train. His friend invites him on board and ensures
there’s space for him, despite the train being fully booked.
On the train, he
meets a man who offers to pay him handsomely to keep him safe. The man is a
thief who sells fakes to buyers. He’s such a morally deprived individual that
he’d do anything for money, but he keeps receiving death threats everywhere he
goes—including on this train ride.
Hercule,
disliking the man because he can sense his cruelty and insincerity, turns down
the offer to help. One night on the train, the man is murdered, and Hercule is
now tasked with investigating and solving the case, where everyone on the train
is a likely suspect.
I feel the star-studded cast is impressive, but the movie doesn’t fully utilize their talents. The supporting characters are underdeveloped, and some performances, while decent, don’t add much depth. To me, the dialogue feels forced—there are moments where the characters try too hard to be witty, and it didn’t work for me. The film prioritizes visual style over substance, which sometimes overshadows the plot, with the tension never quite matching the buildup.
The movie’s pace can be tiring, and at times, it feels very dull.
The movie was a
huge financial success, with critics praising the cast. However, not many saw
the reason why the movie had to be made. It didn’t add much to the already
well-known story, making it feel like a needless remake. That said, it’s still
a movie worth watching for the stellar casting, even if you shouldn’t expect to
be blown away by the plot.
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