A classic murder mystery film is coming to the silver screen for its fourth adaptation this year. Agatha Christie’s famed detective Hercule Poirot is back on the case and it’s arguably his most famous one. With a star packed cast, it’s no surprise that this is a film many are excited for this year.
The film itself is set almost entirely on a train travelling from Istanbul to London, where our famed detective (Kenneth Branagh) has to work to solve the murder of Edward Ratchett (Johnny Depp) that occurs on the second night of the journey. With his only suspects being the other guests on the train, the detective has to use reason and deduction to solve the case.
Filling the big boots of those who have played Poirot before him, Branagh is stepping into the role as the Belgian detective alongside directing the feature too. After tackling previous successful features like Thor, it will be interesting to see how Branagh handles this latest challenge. Not only that, but he’ll have to carefully navigate showing off all of the fellow actors in the cast of the film, without having too many screen stealers.
Star Wars actor Daisy Ridley plays the story’s moral compass as governess Mary Debenham. As one of the newer names on the scene compared to veterans, like Judi Dench and Willem Dafoe, it is this writer’s hope that her performance will be one remember from the film.
Anyone who has ever read an Agatha Christie book will know that her plots never end the way you would expect. It will be interesting to see how tackling one as well known as this comes across and if it entices a new audience into enjoying these classic mysteries.
From the debut trailer, there may be one thing that people will remember going in to the film – Branagh’s moustache. Obviously trying to replicate the iconic handlebars that David Suchet had as the character, it’s safe to say that it may be one of the more hilarious facial hair features on the screen. I’m not sure whether trying to get past the comedy of it will take away from the seriousness of the rest of the film, but I guess that is something we will have to wait to see.
Taking on such a well known and recognisable detective as Poirot is not the easiest task, so it could only really played by someone as well known and as famous as Branagh himself. However, in this day and age where murder mysteries and detective shows can almost always be found on TV or in the cinema, it will have to be something spectacular to captivate its audience and not be lost in amongst the sea of films and shows. Seeing as the cast is so prolific and a hype has been circulating since the first trailer dropped, it seems that this film might just be one of the most anticipated films of the year.
Murder on the Orient Express (Dir. Kenneth Branagh) is released via Scott Free productions on the 3rd November 2017.
