Not a train wreck you might've feared but it does run out of steam midway through

Rating: 6/10 (25 July 2018)

One of the passengers on board the exquisite Orient Express is murdered, and only the legendary detective skills of Hercule Poirot can bring justice. Every face should be familiar as the phenomenal cast are put against Poirot's line of questioning.

The biggest draw to this film is undoubtedly the cast. Each member gets their chance to shine from relative newcomers like Daisy Ridley to seasoned professionals in the shape of Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi. Meanwhile, the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Willem Defoe, Josh Gad and of course Kenneth Branagh mean you're never wanting for talent on the screen - the sumptuous 1930s costumes and set decorations also mean there's always something interesting to look at.
As characters are introduced across the opening 30 minutes, it's interesting viewing until one of their fellow travellers is brutally stabbed in a frenzied attack. It'll be lazy to simply say it runs out of steam or comes off the tracks once the titular murder is committed, but there's no other way to describe the middle portion of the film.
One by one, Poirot interrogates the passengers and begins to piece together what happened on the night of the slaying, but it feels more like the actors are being paraded to do their bit to camera and then promptly leave, rarely to be seen again. That said, it's fun for the audience to play along since nothing is confirmed or denied until the final act when the suspects are confronted by the detective. Without wanting to spoil the end (as I'm sure there are people, like me, who don't know the outcome in the book), the pay-off is ultimately worth the wait and even a little clever.
This Agatha Christie adaptation is sure to be the first of a series which will see her moustached detective (hell, is he moustached!) solving cases all over the world. Indeed, the closing scene shows that they're planning for the famed Belgian sluice to go to Egypt next. If what follows is anything like this initial helping, it will be a nice alternative to the samey Marvel mush.
Best Quote: "Some men have a good look. All they have to do is keep their mouth shut and they can take home any prize they want. Still the mouth opens."