Death on the Nile
2022 · Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Original language: English
- mystery
- crime
- thriller
The story
Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple's idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.
What it’s like
Lush, sun-saturated widescreen frames of the Nile at golden hour, with the steamer's brass, polished wood and white linen glowing against the amber desert and deep blue water. Branagh's camera glides and pans across the boat and its ornate interiors in long, fluid movements, and crowded dinner tables and deck parties are staged with the careful symmetry of a stage play. The score is sweeping and orchestral, with flurries of strings that tip into suspense, and the sound of the river and wind carries through quieter scenes. The vibe is glamorous, elegant and faintly uneasy, like a sunlit party where everyone is hiding something. It suits a slow weekend afternoon or a comfort rewatch with a pot of tea. Pacing is brisk but unhurried, and the tone stays playful and witty, with a crime at its centre and a cast of wealthy travellers whose flirtations and resentments slowly surface. Violence is brief and largely off-screen, with a single shooting and some tension but no gore. It is for viewers who enjoy classic whodunnit pleasures, handsome period costume and a light, mannered sense of suspense.
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