A Haunting in Venice

A Haunting in Venice is very different from Kenneth Branagh's previous Poirot films. The less star-studded cast and smaller budget are not problem, the effort to use enclosed spaces for clever and spectacular camera games is nice, and it manages to be pleasantly creepy. An interesting and pleasant change. If Branagh plays with atmosphere and genre like this in future adaptations, I'll be happy to be there. (13.09.2023)

Kenneth Branagh's first Poirot installment, which isn't an adaptation of a well-known novel, tested the strength of his era for the first time. While Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile sparked various debates because these cases always had multiple versions, "Hallowe'en Party" never belonged among notoriously famous novels. So far, there have only been two television adaptations - Hallowe'en Party (2010) and Meurtre à la kermesse (2014). The concept of a Halloween horror in the confined space of a Venetian palace is exquisite. Likewise, Poirot's interaction with the famous Ariadne Oliver is excellent. It's a great affair that practically instantly becomes an autumn classic. If Branagh continues with this, it would be ideal to choose another lesser-known case. However, it's potentially unfortunate to shift the entire thing into the post-war world (this film is set in 1947), thus closing off the opportunity to further develop Poirot's real interwar world. (14.09.2023)

Admittedly made for less money, but by a huge margin the best Poirot by Kenneth Branagh. Intimate, elegant, understated, atmospheric. Where the Orient Express and  the Nile are overwrought and digital of, the beautiful mysterious residence in Venice makes do with playful camera angles, and without any CGI gimmicks. The horror overlay a nice bonus, oddly enough it holds up throughout the film, it wasn't just a trailer attraction. (22.09.2023)

I stupidly gave it a chance again and it didn't work out, for the third time. Hercule Poirot for me is probably the most boring and least interesting detective of them all (for example comparing him to Sherlock it's 100 and 1). Again it is filmed and presented in a way that could have entertained my grandmother and grandfather, but for me, and I believe the younger generation. the film is hard to digest. This time the cast wasn't worth much either, which reflects the actors lack of interest in acting in this one. The whole film is very slow with no hint of suspense or atmosphere (no, I didn't see any horror elements here), the fact that it lacks momentum and drive is one thing, but the fact that I didn't enjoy the dialogues, story and characters is another. I didn’t guess the killer, but the final denouement did nothing for me, the final explanation is supposed to deliver a proper build-up (like in Saw), but it never happens. I really don't enjoy this style of detective stories without murders, where the whole movie is spent listening to people bored by Branagh. Delete, forget, honor. 4/10. (06.11.2023)

Kenneth Branagh has conceived the third installment of his Poirot series in a completely different way than the first two, with a horror, schizophrenic atmosphere that flirts with the mystery genre and leaves the hero initially floundering and unsure. Haris Zambarloukos's camera alternates between unconventional angles of waterlogged rooms and views of a drizzly Venice in an amazing way, perfectly emphasizing that uncertainty. The sound design is amazing and really stands out in Dolby Atmos. The plot, for me, is unorthodox and the denouement is unexpected. This concept suited me very well and I'm looking forward to the sequel. (14.09.2023)