Death on the Nile is a Hercule Poirot murder mystery, from Kenneth Branagh that has a top cast and development for his character! This is the 2022 follow up the Agatha Christie adaptation, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), from Branagh. He also directed Belfast (2021). Michael Green continues his work with Branagh writing the screenplay and also wrote Blade Runner 2049 (2017). There was a previous adaptation in 1978. It was released on February 11th after a long delay. The film will stream on March 29th on Hulu and HBO Max. The film begins in Belgium, 1914, which has the trenches of World War I in stark black and white. The cinematographer, Haris Zambarloukos, was also on Branagh’s team with Belfast and Murder on the Orient Express.
Soldiers have orders from Captain Rens (Orlando Seale) about to make an attack on the Yser Bridge against the German forces. The Battle of the Yser was a well known battle in the conflict. Captain Ren says they must wait a few hours to charge, but he has a suggestion from another soldier, young Hercule Poirot (Branagh). Probably de-aged with CGi. Branagh returns as the famous detective and brings humor, intelligence, and some sadness to the role. He says that birds show the direction of the wind, they can use the wind with gas to hide their attack. The soldiers suprise the German soldiers and are about to take the bridge, Ren thanks Poirot, but trips over a mine that destroys the bridge! Later, we see the beds of the medical unit, Katherine (Susannah Fielding) gets the attention of Poirot, who turns his back to her. They are lovers, but Poirot turns to show her the scars on his face.
Katherine's suggestion is to grow a mustache! The beginning centers the movie with the flashback to Poirot’s life prior to being a detective. We see London, 1937, now in glorious color,! with Poirot entering the Live Music Club. He sits apart from the dance floor ordering desserts that he has to meticulously arrange. The manager of the singer, Rosalie (Letitia Wright) works to get payment for the performance. In walks singer, Salome Otterbourne (Sophie Okonedo), playing an electric guitar before she takes the stage. Wright of course is known as Shuri in Black Panther (2018). Okonedo appeared recently as Siuan Sanche in The Wheel of Time. We shift to the dance floor with one young couple, Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer) and Jacqueline “Jackie” de Bellefort (Emma Mackey). Hammer faced some controversy in the time before the release of the film. His profile was reduced in the promotion of Death on the Nile. Mackey is Maeve Wiley in the Sex Education series.
Jackie dances passionately with Simon and he in lifts and slides his hands on her. They kiss and then we have the arrival of wealthy Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot). The actress is well known as Wonder Woman, but also appeared in the action movie, Red Notice (2021). The nightclub costumes are stunning, the silver dress of Linnet and Jacqueline‘s red, slinky dress are from costume designer, Paco Delgado. He also worked on Jungle Cruise (2021). Jackie speaks with Linnet about getting a job for Simon when they get married. She introduces Simon and his attention has strayed to her. He takes her out to the dance floor and again brings her into a lift while Jackie looks on. Then, we move six weeks later, a pan across Egypt with the Sphinx in Giza, Egypt. Poirot is trying to enjoy his tea and cakes when a kite disrupts his view of The Great Pyramid.
He finds out that the kite flyer is none other than his friend, Bouc (Tom Bateman), whom aided his investigation on the Orient Express. Bateman starred in the Netflix thriller mini-series Behind Her Eyes (2021). Bouc takes Poirot to see his mother, Euphemia (Annette Bening) who is busy painting the pyramid. Bening was in the MCU film, Captain Marvel (2019). Poirot is a distraction and she just wants him out of her view to paint the pyramid adding her son with the kite. Bouc takes Poirot to the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt. This is another famous location where Christie wrote the book and the 1978 movie was filmed there. It is a party for the recently wed Simon and Linnet! We find Salome singing with Rosalie nearby and of course Euphemia. There is also Linnet’s godmother, Marie Van Schulyer (Jennifer Saunders) and her nurse, Mrs. Bowers (Dawn French). The acting duo is known for their Absolutely Fabulous comedy show which had a 2016 movie.
Also at the wedding reception is Louise Bourget (Rose Leslie) works tirelessly as Linnet’s maid. Leslie is recognized as Ygritte in Game of Thrones, but she is also in the dramatic series, The Good Fight. The party guests include Linnet’s “cousin”, Andrew Katchadourian (Ali Fazal) who is connected to her finances. Fazal was in the historical drama, Victoria & Abdul (2017). Lastly, there is Dr. Linus Windlesham (Russell Brand), who is a friend to Linnet. The comedian and actor, Brand had starred in the boxing drama, The Fight (2018), but here he is in a purely dramatic part. A diverse cast of suspects. Branagh has cast interesting actors with Murder on the Orient Express and I first noted Much Ado About Nothing (1993) which had Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, and Denzel Washington. he party sputters out with the arrival of Jackie who has been following Simon. At a marketplace, the married couple has Poirot speak to Jackie. He is able to talk to Jackie who says her problems with Linnet started when she was replaced in a school production of Antony and Cleopatra.
Jackie tells Poirot that Simon still loves her, stalker. She shows him a .22 gun that she has in her bag. Poirot advises the couple to return home and forget the entire conflict. Simon says he has another idea. In the morning, Linnet presides over the wedding party dressed as Cleopatra. Gadot has a Cleopatra film directed by Kari Skogland from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I wonder if there was an inspiration from this film. Simon has the party as guests on the paddleboat, the Karnak, traveling on the Nile River. Linnet confides in Poirot that she doesn’t trust any of the wedding guests. We get an enclosed, luxury transportation with rooms, a number of diverse suspects, murder, with Poirot trying to solve the case before reaching a destination. So there are many similarities with the previous movie, but here Poirot is truly measured and tested. This mystery is about what some people will do for love. I enjoy a good mystery and this adaptation does not disappoint even though I knew the identity of the killer, but not the “how” of the murder. Ultimately, without the method of the murder, this is pointless. Death on the Nile is a leisurely paced murder mystery with a first rate cast and consequences for Branagh’s Poirot!
Four Moustaches out of Five!
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