Twigs - A Haunting in Venice

Hercule Poirot solves a ghastly case.

[Note: This review will discuss elements of A Haunting in Venice that were revealed in promotional material, such as trailers. If you’re someone who enjoys going into recent movies knowing as little as possible, you may want to skip reading this review.]

Hercule Poirot mysteries are my bread and butter.

Having read a few of the original Agatha Christie novels and watched a handful of episodes from Agatha Christie’s Poirot starring David Suchet (which, fun fact, has adapted every single story Christie wrote about the famed investigator), it should come as no surprise that I’ve always enjoyed Kenneth Branagh’s take on the character. Despite not being as enticing as expected, I still enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express quite a bit. And, despite having a slow start, Death on the Nile is one still one of my favorite modern mystery films. But I must admit, I was a little trepidatious when it came to A Murder in Venice. Mostly because there isn’t a novel written by Christie with that title.

In reality, A Murder in Venice is based on the Poirot novel Hallowe’en Party, though changes many elements from the original story in its adaptation. While many trailers seem to have billed this as a horror movie, the film is really a darker, moodier version of a typical Hercule Poirot mystery. After being invited to a seance by one of his writer friends (Tina Fay), Poirot witnesses supernatural events he can’t quite explain. Then, when a murder takes place at the stroke of midnight, it’s up to Poirot to see which of the seance’s many guests was the culprit. But, as his investigation goes on, Poirot begins to wonder if there is something truly supernatural afoot, or if everything going on can be explained with the typical logic he always applies to his cases.

Although many elements of A Haunting in Venice’s mystery are original to the film, it still maintains the same thematic elements that make a Poirot mystery so enticing. I enjoy Branagh’s portrayal of the investigator quite a bit, especially here where he’s faced with seemingly unexplainable elements he’s already decided to dismiss out of hand. There’s a surety and an aloofness to his version of Poirot that makes the character all the more entertaining. And, as usual, he’s backed by a fantastic cast of suspects who all have some purpose in the mystery, in one way or another. This time around, the cast feels more balanced out, with everyone having some level of relevance to the events that makes the mystery go in many different, unpredictable directions. Alongside Branagh and Fay, James Dornan, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh were also standouts in the film. Though every character brought their own bits of personality to the movie that made the mystery all the more enticing to watch unfold.

I think what really makes A Haunting in Venice different from Branagh’s prior Poirot movies is the tone of the film. While there’s always been a darker undercurrent to the films because of their dealings with murder mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile didn’t have the same dark and somber tone as this film takes up. It feels like a natural progression from the previous movie, as Poirot has to face his own inner beliefs about reality in order to process his role in the world as a famed detective. All while solving a topsy-turvy case whose layers of mystique seem to have no end in sight. It made for a very different type of viewing, especially when trying to piece together the mystery despite not having the same perceptive eye as Poirot. The darker tone worked here, and is why it’s such a fitting mystery to accompany the Halloween season.

One other standout for this film in particular was the cinematography. While every movie in the new Poirot series is directed by Branagh, every film has managed to feel different because of the way they’re presented. A Haunting in Venice is filmed more like a horror movie, encapsulating many familiar techniques seen throughout the genre. This includes slanted shots, claustrophobic close-ups, and scenes where the character is off to the side, the focus on large, dark sets behind them. The unsettling nature of even the movie’s presentation makes it stand out from the rest of Branagh’s Poirot mysteries. The somber tone can be felt even in the way the movie presents everything to the audience. While there were, admittedly, a few cheap jumpscares to encapsulate the horror film mood, the movie wasn’t really horror. At least, not in my mind. Instead, it was presented as a dark mystery with a horror backdrop, which made the filmmaking techniques stand out even more. The creepy atmosphere exists beyond the bounds of just horror, but mystery as well. And it helps to drive home just how terrifying this mystery could turn out to be.

Since this is a mystery movie, I don’t want to give anything away. But A Haunting in Venice is a strong entry in Branagh’s ongoing Hercule Poirot adaptations. While I’m not quite sure if I liked it more than Death on the Nile, I still had fun watching it. The intrigue was there, the story was intense, and the way the mystery unraveled with all its twists and turns was fascinating. And on-brand for Poirot despite having a much different tone from the other two films. If you’re a fan of mystery movies, especially the previous two Poirot ones, this will satisfy. I would highly recommend seeing it during the Halloween season for the best effect. This is, after all, a story that involves murder and a haunted house.

Here’s to seeing Branagh continue to bring Christie’s classic mystery novels back to the big screen.

***

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