Death on the Nile

An extremely precisely executed whodunit, where I also experienced a rather strange and welcome paradox – I had not read the book and did not know the outcome, but I guessed the culprit quite soon after the fatal act, and it didn’t bother me at all and it didn’t seem like a weakness, but an intention, because Branagh wonderfully focuses the attention on the process of accumulating clues rather than deepening the mystery. Throughout the film, we’re almost completely aligned in our knowledge with Poirot, who sees or hears everything (and when he lies drunk outside the action, he hears everything from innocent and reliable witnesses) and we deduce with him – and can also suspect with him – who is behind everything, but concentrate only on finding the evidence scattered all over the mise-en-scène (or rather, missing from it – the red paint, the lost scarf), which the script brilliantly and rhythmically signifies, as well as the traditionally convoluted mutual past of the actors. Guessing the ending, then, isn't the film's fault, but perhaps its dominant feature – that it can be this entertaining and subtle just in the way it connects the viewer to the investigating protagonist (even emotionally, thanks to the framing prologue and epilogue) is something I really praise Kenneth for. Very nice visuals and great cinematography, which is equal to Steven Spielberg's works in the sophistication of space. I’m already looking forward to my impressions after a second screening. 90 % (2022-02-13)

At times Death on the Nile looks like a modern theatre play, at times like a largely impressive colouring book, which is inappropriate for a film of this type. The whole thing is a little bit flat, sweaty, going for power, or rather for effect. Branagh's Poirot is OK, but the rest of the cast is mostly jerking and prancing around. What's missing are real visuals, decent camera work, real sets and, most importantly, a better plot. (2022-05-02)

I enjoyed this movie in the cinema as opposed to the recent Murder on the Orient Express, which left me completely cold because it was simply a pretentious flamboyant parade of stars with no added value. The filmmakers did not shy away from somewhat tweaking the plot of Death on the Nile. So even though I already knew the end of the story quite well, I ended up being slightly surprised by its development, where the tone of the movie became indiscriminate and somewhat pessimistic. Thumbs up for that. (2022-04-18)

At the beginning Branagh unnecessarily illuminates the reason for the moustache, he probably thinks we viewers are complete idiots, and then in artificial digital sets, coloured like gypsies' nails, he decides to desecrate an otherwise quite nice piece of literature. I wouldn't have expected this from him, someone with a theatre background. (2022-04-19)

I’m a big fan of the detective genre, so just like with Murder on the Orient Express, I was eagerly anticipating Death on the Nile. Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of Hercule Poirot is spot-on, and the film's lavish production is undeniably impressive. But that grandeur is also where it stumbles a bit. Agatha Christie's stories, while top-tier in the mystery department, are inherently intimate affairs. This film, however, feels anything but. The cinematography is stunning — it's practically an ad for 1930s Egypt, and you can’t help but be mesmerized by it. The period atmosphere is also on point, though I could’ve done with less of the overdone sexual tension that Branagh decided to inject into the story. The cast, however, is where things get a bit shaky. The acting feels overly theatrical, to the point where nearly every character becomes irritating (except Poirot, of course — his theatricality is part of his charm). The ensemble is a collection of largely unnecessary characters, and honestly, if the boat had sunk and taken them all with it, I wouldn't have minded — the story might have ended quicker, and we’d be spared the drawn-out drama. That said, Russell Brand was a surprising standout — I didn’t even recognize him until he spoke. And Emma Mackey, who gave off major Emma Stone vibes, also caught my attention. Overall, Death on the Nile is an interesting watch, but for me, the older adaptations still hold the crown. (2022-02-11)