Murder on the Orient Express
2017 · Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Original language: English
- mystery
- drama
- crime
The story
Genius Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of an American tycoon aboard the Orient Express train.
What it’s like
Lush, theatrical widescreen images: snow-blurred Alpine valleys seen through frosted train glass, warm amber lamplight on polished wood panelling, and candlelit dining cars thick with shadow. Camera moves are deliberate and often sweeping, with dramatic low angles and tracking shots that circle a crowded compartment, while the Venice opening leans on golden, sun-washed postcard light. The score is orchestral and swelling, with strings and a sense of old-world grandeur, but it drops to tense silence at key moments. The mood is glamorous and cosy-in-the-cold, a sumptuous period puzzle with a lingering undercurrent of unease. Pacing is brisk and talky, built around one interrogation after another, so it suits a rainy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or a long evening with a glass of something warm. Violence is limited to a single stabbing, shown briefly and without gore, with some tension and a few sharp scares. Its people shift from wary strangers into a tangled, uneasy confession of shared guilt. It is made for viewers who love ensemble mysteries, handsome period costume, and a witty, stylish detective.
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