Adapting a decade’s old story is no small feat. Let alone a story that is one of the most famous mysteries of all time. Kenneth Branagh has decided to take on that challenge though, as he directs and stars in this star-studded, big budget version of “Murder on The Orient Express.”
As this is a mystery film, no spoilers will be discussed here. However, given that the original story is over fifty years old, one has to wonder what a film adaptation would have to do differently in order to make this a train ride worth taking?
Kenneth Branagh clearly places himself center stage as the world renowned Detective Hercule Poirot, a man with a keen eye, and a need for a vacation. His supporting cast is filled with big names; Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., William Dafoe, Dame Judy Dench, Penélope Cruz and many more. However, they fail to truly make an impact.
This doesn’t mean they’re boring, far from it. Many of them prove to be quite charming and likable. However, they aren’t terribly interesting beyond that. Everyone seems to be on autopilot, cranking up the smiles and the depressed looks, skating by purely on name recognition. The only cast members who seem to be putting any effort in are Daisy, Josh, Kenneth and Tom Bateman as Bouc, the train’s owner.
Visually, this is an impeccably crafted film. Shot on 70mm film stock, everything is bright and detailed. The costume designs and attention to detail alone deserve the film heaps of praise. The cinematography is also excellent, with Haris Zambarloukos refusing to shoot anything plainly, leading to heaps of wonderfully stilted angles and gloriously inventive camerawork. Everything is marvelous to look at, lending to one of the best things about the movie.
It just doesn’t feel like a film that’s made anymore. It’s a legitimate mystery film that refuses to feed its audience the answers. Its impeccable costuming and attention to details shows signs of a bygone era of film-making. It also features a gloriously great musical score from Patrick Doyle that feels like a blending of the classic Hollywood orchestra and the modern world of music.
However, plot-wise, it fails to hold up those lofty visual elegance. Some characters just aren’t memorable, with a few being introduced halfway through the film. The script lacks the care and attention to detail that the visual have. More often than not, details crucial to the plot are glossed over so easily that the ending doesn’t feel like the revelation it should, due to the audience never noticing the details that are made so important.
“Murder” also has one last problem that is arguably its most important; there’s nothing to set it apart from the past adaptations. Nothing new, nothing refreshing. The twist ending is the same, as are the characters (with one small change). Nothing innovative has been applied to this classic story.
While it’s visually impeccable, and hearkens back to a heyday of film-making, “Murder on The Orient Express” lacks the same attention in its plot and characters that it gave to its visuals. Well cast and decently performed with wonderful visuals, but a lacking plot, “Murder on The Orient Express” isn’t dead on arrival. It merely limps into the stations, blowing smoke. 3/5
