Branagh means you must watch closely

Rating: 10/10 (13 December 2017)

When I first saw this movie, I wasn't even aware it was directed by the same guy who directed Thor, and yet I already sensed some similarities! When I discovered it was the same director, I watched the movie again and enjoyed it all the more, this time realizing I needed to watch it a bit more closely. My opinion is the opening at the Wailing Wall truly introduced us to both the detective and some of the other main characters in a meaningful way, and one thing I love is this director knows how to bring meaning to his movies with every choice he makes, no matter how subtle. Naturally, the first time I had no clue who the culprit was, but the second time I was catching the clever clues and realizing that we are watching a performance about a performance. Things that seem disturbing the first time are actually humorous the second time, because you understand the motives behind that behavior much better. Shallow, stereotypical characters gain depth when you realize that they are trying to distract the detective, and even making up some of their stories as they go. I have no clue when Hercule truly had it all figured out. The way his mind works, it could have been earlier than portrayed. When I saw the preview, I was so used to the Hollywood formula that I didn't think I needed to watch the movie. The culprit was the missionary. Even if I was wrong about that, I was sure I knew who had not done it. Turns out I DID need to watch the movie, and I'm so glad I did!