A Murder Mystery in the Classical Style.

Rating: Null/10 (22 November 2017)

"I need a holiday, I need time in my hands" (sic), are the words of Hercule Priorot with the acute if not astute observance of a famous detective renowned for his excellence in detecting. Accordingly, it seemed, Priorot ate my words as that was my sentiment as I went to see this film adaptation of the classic Agatha Christie novel at the cinema recently.
The film's cinematography laid bare the scenery through which the steam train chugged through snow clad mountains. The film set left, it seemed, nothing amiss, and the attention to detail, from the decor to moustaches to hairstyles of the period, was perfection itself. And yet, such extravagant a visual feast seemed worthy of more than the modern day cinema with its minimalist theatre and pop corn munching audience.
And while the period was given attention to detail, the director, Kenneth Branagh, who also plays the Belgian detective, forgot that in a freezing cold setting we should see breath belching from the mouths of the characters during the outside scenes in the frozen isolation of the mountains, where the Orient Express runs aground. Likewise none of the characters appeared cold, or shivering. This is especially given that they are all suspects in the murder case.
The suspects are played by such a rarity of an all star cast with none other than Kenneth Branagh, Johhny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dame Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Willem Defoe and Penelope Cruz to name a few.
And so if you love murder mystery, and Agatha Christie and plush, period settings and snow covered mountains, then take a look at this film.