Wahnfried, McGregor
On New Years Eve, Sunday 31st at 4pm: DEATH ON THE NILE (2h). A sequel to Murder on the Orient Express, it again stars an ensemble cast with Branagh and Tom Bateman reprising their roles as Hercule Poirot and Bouc, respectively, alongside Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright.
Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's 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. Set against an epic landscape of sweeping Egyptian desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids, this tale of unbridled passion and incapacitating jealousy features a cosmopolitan group of impeccably dressed travellers, and enough wicked twists and turns to leave audiences guessing until the final, shocking denouement.
‘’ Murder on the Orient Express was a quick-paced, stellar and sleek murder mystery that leveraged Christie’s classic tale for maximum visual appeal and box office draw. While over-reliant on visual effects to transplant its train-based story and irreverent in its re-engineering of the world famous Belgian detective, it was entertaining, compelling and modern enough to satisfy most audiences. In keeping up with the first film, this makes Death on the Nile a rinse-and-repeat, taking the same smooth skin and applying it to the sequel.
Reprising his role as Hercule Poirot is Branagh, who has a firm grasp on the accent and enough conviction to sell the character, even if somewhat obscured by a tougher battle-ready shell and a fun-sized moustache. Gal Gadot could play Cleopatra in a heartbeat, an excellent casting decision for Death on the Nile’s wealthy heiress. Annette Bening adds her dramatic heft to the ensemble as Euphemia Bouc in a matriarchal role much like Dame Judi Dench did in Murder on the Orient Express. While the accused, Armie Hammer, substitutes for Johnny Depp as the tarnished star turned problematic rogue.
When it comes to the expansive supporting cast, Green has condensed a few characters in an attempt to simplify a rather muddled murder mystery. Sophie Okonedo dons the headdress of a night club singer in Salome Otterbourne, Russell Brand takes on an unusually controlled and serious performance as Windlesham and Rose Leslie drops her tough Game of Thrones exterior to go French as Louise Bourget. Speaking of… French and Saunders comedy pairing, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, reunite to play opposite one another again.
Death on the Nile has a handsome cast matched by its exquisite, almost breathtaking visuals of Egypt and its iconic monuments. Bowing to hints of Poirot’s obsessive compulsive disorder, there’s an attempt for symmetry in the cinematography. Constantly moving to create a sense of space almost in response to a fear of becoming dramatically stagnant, Death on the Nile is always on the move.‘’ Spling movies review
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