IN film circles, it is generally understood that February is the dumping grounds for studios to release their bad or mediocre films so that they can focus on releasing their best films from March onwards. So going into Death on the Nile had me worried, but I was wrong.
The latest film by director Kenneth Branagh is very good, especially as a mystery-thriller. I would even go so far to say that if you’re going to watch any film this month in cinemas, it should be Death on the Nile.
A sequel to Branagh’s previous Murder on the Orient Express, this film brings back the eccentric Hercule Poirot (played by Branagh again), as the world-renowned detective is tasked yet again with solving a murder that occurs on the S.S. Karnak.
For the film, Branagh features an ensemble cast to star alongside him, such as Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, and Letitia Wright, to name a few, and none of the actors fall short.
All of them have amazing chemistry with each other, and everyone carries their roles with an impeccable sense of duty to perform to the best of the capabilities.
Branagh is a very good actor, and better yet, he is an excellent director when it comes to period films or films that capture period film nuances.
Take for instance, Thor. It’s a superhero film, yes, but it captures the nuances of “old age English” period theatrics.
The same can be said for this film. Though the film is set in Egypt, the narrative is largely focused on what happens on the ship that the characters are trapped on. The period film aesthetics are like very fine icing on a good cake.
Adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel, the success of the film’s story depends on the director’s ability to tell a good “whodunit” story, like any murder mystery.
Though Death on the Nile takes a while to pick up steam, when the gears start rolling, it really speeds up.
When the murder finally occurs, audiences are thrown right into the guessing game: Who did it? Why did they do it? What was the motive? What will happen next?
Branagh balances the seamless transition from one question to the next excellently, and the actors work in tandem with their director to deliver his vision of a good murder-mystery.
Thrown into the film is also a sense of tragedy, from what occurs throughout the film, and the backstory that extends to Poirot’s character.
Death, in the film, isn’t merely a plot device to move the story along; it carries weight, and rippling consequences that extend beyond merely being a statistic.
Other than some scenes with jarring CGI and bad green screen work, there is no legitimate criticism that can be leveled towards Death on the Nile, other than maybe don’t bring children for the movie, as the film requires a more adult attention span.
Death on the Nile is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.
