Kenneth Branagh returns as Hercule Poirot in “Death on the Nile” and once again he lives and breathes this character to charming results as his vacation is upended by a murder onboard a lavish river steamer. An ensemble cast of familiar faces fill the collection of impeccably dressed characters, as the mystery of exposing the murderer while flowing down the river between majestic Egyptian backdrops commences. It all sounds appealing, and visually, it does deliver a stunning buffet to allow for a vibrant mental escape.
Mysteries however are intended to intrigue and pose questions and theories to keep the viewer guessing. Well-crafted mysteries build layers and weave elements of misdirection. Some of which this script accomplishes. Unfortunately, this film warms up like an old car on a frigid morning resulting in a polished movie that sadly bores its viewer, long before actually compelling them. The opening act builds curiosity and creates the aesthetic just fine. But that wears off quickly though more than an hour of storytelling that meanders on this glamorous ship for far too long before deciding to get going.
A slow-burn mystery is always acceptable to elevate the tension and the immersion for the viewer. This simply felt like a surface level mystery that was over convoluted for the sake of theatrics. Something the cast was unable to compensate for. There were a few surprise performances that captured the spotlight. There were also a few who felt wasted so in the end the cast was a bit hit or miss.
Gadot and Hammer outside of Branagh were the focal point and they didn’t get it done. Hammer has his own current real-life issues that added to the cringe of certain moments. And Gadot, much like Johnson, Reynolds, and many others is herself in most roles she takes on. Here her go-to persona didn’t blend with Hammer to sell their love, nor did it rise to the level of elegance that Branagh brought as Poirot.
Branagh’s direction of himself seemed much better than that of the others because for the potential of this ensemble, the result was uneven and surprisingly bland. There were some enjoyable spots littered throughout this movie, but many more seemed to drag on much longer than needed. For so many moving parts to this storyline the development of the plot at the center of it all was lacking. So, for me “Death on the Nile” was a bit more mustache than mystery and unfortunately a letdown considering the pieces it had to work with.
Grade: 65%
Anthony J. Digioia II © 2022 SilverScreen Analysis. All Rights Reserved.
Emma Mackey as Jacqueline De Bellefort and Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway, Emma Mackey as Jacqueline De Bellefort and Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian, Letitia Wright as Rosalie Otterbourne and Sophie Okonedo as Salome Otterbourne in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle and Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway and Emma Mackey as Jacqueline De Bellefort in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
In director Kenneth Branagh’s mystery-thriller “Death on the Nile” based on the 1937 novel by Agatha Christie, Simon Doyle (ARMIE HAMMER) and Linnet Ridgeway (GAL GADOT) are a picture-perfect couple on a honeymoon voyage down the Nile River which is tragically cut short. Wedding guests aboard the glamorous river steamer in this daring tale about the emotional chaos and deadly consequences triggered by obsessive love include Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot (KENNETH BRANAGH) and an all-star cast of suspects. Twentieth Century Studios’ “Death on the Nile” opens in U.S. theaters October 23, 2020. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway and Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler and Dawn French as Bowers in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
(clockwise from top left) Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway, Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler, Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian, Dawn French as Bowers, Tom Bateman as Bouc and Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE, a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
