A Book A Week

Earlier this year, I read Agatha Christie's famed Murder on the Orient Express. It was easy to see why Christie's novel has been a mainstay among mystery fans since it was published. Essentially a locked room mystery, the novel follows investigator Hercule Poirot's inquiry into the death of a man on the train. When I heard that Kenneth Branagh would both direct a film adaptation and portray the famed detective, I was eager to see this modern telling of the classic tale.

The film opens with Poirot (Branagh) finishing an investigation at a church in Jerusalem. These early scenes introduce both the character's deductive prowess and obsessive compulsive tendencies. Branagh gives the character an air of both humor and wisdom with a charismatic charm that is instantly captivating. Poirot plans to take some time off after his case, but is urgently called to London to take on another. As fate would have it, this sudden change of plans lands him on the Orient Express.

On the train, Poirot encounters the assortment of characters who will shortly become suspects in the murder of one of the other passengers. The film assembles a who's who of Hollywood actors to fill out the cast. Johnny Depp, arguably the most widely known member of Branagh's troop, plays the victim Samuel Ratchett. Ratchett's unsavory business dealings leave a plethora of people who could have potentially killed him. Poirot swiftly begins a methodical investigation of the only people who had access to Ratchett, the other passengers.

Like the book it is based upon, Murder on the Orient Express is a slow building mystery that offers a nice change of pace for a trip to the movies. My only complaint is that the film is so filled to the brim with talented actors that they don't all get the equal opportunity to showcase their skills. Screen time aside, Branagh manages to honor the history of the story while making it relevant to modern audiences. Even knowing how the narrative would end, I still found myself on edge of my seat. Branagh makes ample use of the sweeping landscapes outside of the train and finds several inventive ways to vary the evenness of the interior. The filmmakers have already announced plans to adapt Death on the Nile. I can't wait to see more of Christie's classic novels brought to life.