Murder on the Orient Express

Score:  B

Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, et. al.
Running time:  114 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Murder on the Orient Express is a bit of counter programming in the theater as we get to the blockbusters of holiday season.  Highlighted by a large cast of esteemed actors and a classic mystery tale, there is a good bit of fun to be had on this train ride.  However, the cast and details they bring along get to be a bit too much, and it never truly soars.  If you need a nice, simple outing at the theater this is a solid choice; otherwise, it can wait until Netflix, if you're interested.


Shortly after solving a case in Jerusalem, the famed detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) heads home to London as yet another case beckons.  When he arrives in Istanbul, a friend offers him passage on the renowned Orient Express train.  Poirot meets and takes note of the train's varied passengers, including a shady American named Ratchett (Depp) who, having received threats, seeks his protection.  That night, there is commotion near Poirot and the train becomes stranded; the next morning Ratchett is found murdered in his cabin.  While waiting for help to arrive, Poirot leads an investigation into this fresh case, having a limited number of suspects yet also limited evidence.  As tension builds on the train with a murderer hiding among them, Poirot uncovers increasingly peculiar details about the suspects as he races to solve the case.

Murder on the Orient Express features quite a cast of stars packed tightly into the confined physical setting of the film.  Kenneth Branagh leads them all as the famous Hercule Poirot, a fun character that he plays well.  The opening of the film, which sees Poirot solving the Jerusalem case and traveling back home, gives Branagh plenty of room to introduce not only Poirot's impressive intellect but also his preference for solitude and biting dry humor.  As the main case proceeds on the train, Poirot also faces struggles of morality, but the film favors plot almost exclusively to his development; he is who he is.  All other characters are strictly supporting, although there are some standouts.  Depp is quite impressive as Ratchett, mysterious and menacing, particularly in his single meeting with Poirot.  Josh Gad plays his associate, a role much different from what you're used to seeing from him and one of the more interesting in the film.  Michelle Pfeiffer also gets a nice part and makes the most of it; it's hard to nail down just who she is as she shows gentle affection for Poirot one minute and sharp control of the train the next.  There are many more roles beyond these, but they are relegated to essentially a few moments (of varying quality) each.

Murder on the Orient Express is a pleasant, old-fashioned mystery film that is somewhat limited and fleeting, much like its train setting.  It benefits from good directing and writing, and while the plot outline - a mystery classic - by now is pretty familiar, it relies on its large and varied cast for flavor (to both better and worse effect).  Branagh, again, is fine as Poirot, and just getting to know him early on is interesting enough, but the film wisely transitions to the main setting and plot before long.  A nice feeling for leisure on the train is established, and it's clear that there's more to the characters than meets the eye (long before the murder), boosting our curiosity.  Once the main murder case gets underway, however, the process becomes surprisingly rote outside of a few interesting bits, particularly with Ratchett's associate (Gad).  It's not long before you realize that everyone has some kind of connection to the victim, and the film spends a lot of time on all those details which are frankly not that interesting after the third or fourth interview.  There are some twists along the way to throw you off track, although by the time they come, the story has become convoluted enough that it's not as effective as it could be.  I'll admit I did not predict the outcome before it was revealed, so that at least preserved some intrigue for me (others will no doubt be more clever than me).  At the end of the film I felt like I was getting off a train like Poirot:  it was an entertaining time, but the proceedings and its characters will likely be carried out of my mind before long.

***

While Murder on the Orient Express has only middling reviews from the critics (58% on Rotten Tomatoes) and my own review isn't super enthusiastic, it's best viewed as a welcome change of pace in today's film landscape.  As much as I do enjoy a lot of the current trends in film - such as the superhero boom - it's also refreshing to see more back-to-basics entries like this one.  I admit that I have neither read Agatha Christie nor seen any other film versions, so I have nothing to go on as far as the quality of this adaptation.  My score of a "B" definitely counts as "good" here; it's well made throughout but also fails to do anything particularly great.  Perhaps more time would have allowed for better development of a few key individual stories or conflicts, or more liberty could have been taken with the adaptation of the overall story.  At any rate, if you really want to see a solid traditional film in the theater, this is a good choice; otherwise, it wouldn't hurt to try it on Netflix some time.




By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54191771