Good Production

Rating: 9/10 (7 March 2018)

Famed Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) has just finished a case in Israel and decides he just needs a rest, but a telegram tells him he is wanted in London and he agrees to go. From France he takes the Orient Express when a murder takes place on the train and he is put to the task once again. No rest for Poirot.
Since this is a remake many of us know who did the murder either from the 1934 novel by Agatha Christie or the 1974 movie. For those who have not seen the previous movie or read the book, will they figure it out? Hmmm.............
This is a very good production showing intricate scenes within the train, colorful period clothes, breathtaking mountain scenery, CGI showing an old-time locomotive racing thru the mountains, and dazzling sunsets with heaven-like pastel colors.
The acting all around is very good although Poirot steals most of the scenes with that outlandish and quite unnecessary mustache. One cannot help but focus on that mustache when Poirot is in the scene. Pity. At times, he talks so fast some dialogue can be missed. Bummer.
Okay, who was killed? An antique dealer Samuel Ratchatt (Johnny Depp) whose real name is Cassetti, who got away with a kidnaping and murder of a child Daisy, the daughter of the well known Armstrong family. He was stabbed 12-times, some strong blows some shallow.
Notables: Josh Gad as McQueen, as a secretary to Ratchatt; Michelle Pfeiffer as American socialite, Mrs Hubbard and also Linda Arden; Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham the Governess to Daisy Armstrong; Judy Dench as Princess Dragomiroff; Derek Jacobi as Edward Masterman, Ratchatt's valet; Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados, a former nanny; Lucy Boynton as Countess Elena; Willem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardman a Pinkerton agent; Dergei Polunin as a Count Rudolph; Daisy Ridley as Governess Mary Debenham; Leslie Odom Jr as Dr. Arbuthnot; and Tom Bateman as Bouc, the Director of the Orient Express.
Josh Gad did a great job and he should stick to drama and not comedy where he is never funny.

The music during the movie is very good. When the credits run you will listen to Michelle Pfeiffer singing "Never Again." Good job.
Well, there is one clue that comes quite easily and Poirot eventually figures out who the murderer is. Will you?
Poirot still cannot rest as once again a telegram comes to help solve a case in Cairo. (9/10)
Violence: Yes, not much.
Sex: No.
Nudity: No.
Humor: Some, not much.
Language: No.