Kenneth Branagh dons the infamous facial hair of Hercule Poirot once more in his lavish adaptation of another Agatha Christie murder mystery, this time in the form of A Haunting in Venice. Having missed the mark with Death on the Nile, Branagh both leads and directs the film but, can he bring it back to from the depths to deliver a murder mystery to remember?
In post-World War II Venice, Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.
With the likes of the Knives Out films bringing the murder mystery into the modern era so brilliantly by Rian Johnson, an old school by-the-numbers period piece from Kenneth Branagh has to be something special to hit those lofty heights. Unfortunately, it's almost as if Branagh has just settled for making his Poirot films as procedural as they come, going to the back of the mind in the process. The horror elements of the narrative offered the film a chance to truly separate itself from the rest of the bunch however, they don't lean into it enough, even if Haris Zambarloukos' cinematography and some fine production design does a grand job in giving us a suitably spooky Venice setting.
Michael Green's screenplay offers some delightful notes into Poirot's character; an opening featuring some nice comedic beats showing how in demand the man is despite retirement while settling you in sweetly before the storm to come. Introducing a number of characters in the film's setting for the remainder of the film, none of them being of any worthy note mind, Green moves the film along at quite a snappy pace. It works in the film's favour in the first half however, to the detriment of the film in a second act that feels incredibly rushed, Poirot plucking the killer out of thin air and revealing it all in a scene the narrative hasn't learnt just quite yet.
Kenneth Branagh leads the ensemble with another playful turn as Hercule Poirot, the remaining constant in these films. He manages to exude the arrogant side of the character without making him totally obnoxious and unlikable. Amidst the supporting cast; Michelle Yeoh's Joyce Reynolds, a medium trying to convince people she can contact the dead and Tina Fey's Ariadne Oliver, an author looking to make money from a potential new book, make their presences felt through the most interesting performances on show. Jude Hill definitely knows the kind of film he is with a rather creepy child performance - young characters acting like elderly men will never not be disturbing.
A Haunting in Venice is Kenneth Branagh's best Hercule Poirot film to date, a truly haunting setting and intriguing setup instantly offering a better viewing experience than the two previous films. More of these will be made no doubt and, quite honestly, I'd follow that glorious moustache wherever it goes.
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