Murder on the Orient Express is a really fun experience. It has everything you want from a crime mystery - a tremendous collection of characters, great location, thrills, humour, and a roaring third act.
What impressed me most about this film was the staging of it. The set was sublime and felt so rich and detailed. The costumes, hair, make up etc were perfect (with the exception of Poirot's moustache... a bit too much maybe?!), and the score complimented the film to a tee. On top of all this there was some top notch cinematography. Nothing to fault from this perspective.
Now the cast. It was a who's who of big established stars and up and coming names in Hollywood, and I loved them all. Despite the sometimes dodgy accents (I'm looking at you Judy), I just can't resist a talented ensemble cast like this. It took me a little while to get on board with Branagh's portrayal of Poirot, but after about 20 minutes I was all aboard! Great cast, each playing their character to perfection.
Now comes the criticism, and this isn't really a reflection on the film, but more on the source material. What I often find with Agatha Christie stories is that I'm always impatient to get to the end. You know there is going to be a satisfying reveal, and also that they are pretty hard to guess as the rug is usually pulled from under you and there are numerous red herrings. As such, the middle act sometimes felt like we were going through the motions, and the pacing of the film can sometimes feel a tad slow.
I'm being picky though, because I was blindsided by the final reveal and thought that they played it out to perfection, with maximum impact. An incredible scene!
If you like Agatha Christie, mysteries, thrillers, crime etc, then you'll have a great time with Murder on the Orient Express.
What impressed me most about this film was the staging of it. The set was sublime and felt so rich and detailed. The costumes, hair, make up etc were perfect (with the exception of Poirot's moustache... a bit too much maybe?!), and the score complimented the film to a tee. On top of all this there was some top notch cinematography. Nothing to fault from this perspective.
Now the cast. It was a who's who of big established stars and up and coming names in Hollywood, and I loved them all. Despite the sometimes dodgy accents (I'm looking at you Judy), I just can't resist a talented ensemble cast like this. It took me a little while to get on board with Branagh's portrayal of Poirot, but after about 20 minutes I was all aboard! Great cast, each playing their character to perfection.
Now comes the criticism, and this isn't really a reflection on the film, but more on the source material. What I often find with Agatha Christie stories is that I'm always impatient to get to the end. You know there is going to be a satisfying reveal, and also that they are pretty hard to guess as the rug is usually pulled from under you and there are numerous red herrings. As such, the middle act sometimes felt like we were going through the motions, and the pacing of the film can sometimes feel a tad slow.
I'm being picky though, because I was blindsided by the final reveal and thought that they played it out to perfection, with maximum impact. An incredible scene!
If you like Agatha Christie, mysteries, thrillers, crime etc, then you'll have a great time with Murder on the Orient Express.