MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017)

I was in the mood for something undemanding and comforting, so I decided to watch Kenneth Branagh's take on the Agatha Christie classic.

Although I have to confess that this is not one of my favourite Christies.  It's one of those stories of hers where once you know the outcome there's not a lot of pleasure in going over it again because neither the plot mechanics nor the characters are that interesting.

And unlike say the Ustinov adaptations ('Death on the Nile' and 'Evil Under The Sun') this story doesn't lend itself to a light or camp approach.

We start off with a dire but mercifully short episode in Jerusalem which introduces us to Hercule Poirot.  Well, a version of the famous Belgian detective at least.  Not one that is very close to Christie's creation - that would of course be David Suchet's portrayal on TV.  Nor a version that has Peter Ustinov's charm.

Instead this Poirot is very active (he can run for example when the need arises), has a very ugly moustache, and is still grieving over a lost love from the past.

We are also introduced to his sidekick for the trip, Bouc, the nephew of the owner of the Orient Express.  I didn't take to the character or the actor playing him, but never mind I thought, there is the star studded cast to enjoy.

In the 1974 adaptation (directed by Sidney Lumet) Ingrid Bergman picked up a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, for a role played by Penélope Cruz in this version.  Although they each received a similar amount of screen time clearly Bergman was able to make a much bigger impact.  Maybe this speaks to Lumet being a better director than Branagh, or maybe Lumet was working with a better screenplay.

Either way, this version feels rather lifeless in terms of drama and most of the cast, such as Judi Dench and Olivia Colman, are wasted.  It's notable that Branagh's Poirot gets more screentime than do all the supporting suspects combined.  

There are some scenes which take place outside the stranded express, presumably for no good reason than just to vary the setting.  But despite the sub-zero temperatures, Poirot doesn't wear an overcoat, nor is his breath, or that of the other characters, foggy.  This just serves to emphasise that we're not on location but instead in a studio, augmented by CGI and the like.  It's a minor point but it irritated me throughout.

On a more positive note I was pleased that Michelle Pfeiffer, one of my favourite actresses, gets an opportunity to shine, playing the instigator of the murder plot.

But overall this is a disappointment, and I won't be seeking out the sequel. 'Death On The Nile'.