Agatha Christie Done Well

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2017)

If you've ever enjoyed patiently reading Agatha Christie novels, then this one is for you. If you require explosions and gratuitous sex, then I advise that you pass.
Filling two hours with familiar whodunit intrigue, "Murder" chugs down the tracks at the pace of a scenic railroad. This is not to say that the film is ever boring; however, one is advised to board this train with a tall coffee and an empty bladder.
The train-car set used throughout the film is truly gorgeous. With all its clever camera work and CGI blending, I wonder if National Geographic was behind this film. Cinematography alone earns this film several stars... and probably an Oscar. With all its clever lighting, perspective, and composition, "Murder" would actually hold up well in black & white.
Don't hold the mega cast against this film; they aren't there so much to dazzle you as to support a story in which everyone truly matters. Even if you know that story, you'll enjoy it.
If only the wind-up weren't quite so long and labored, this could be a five-star film. I think Messr. Poirot really doesn't require so long an introduction; the mini-case at the beginning does nothing for the film.