Poirot is now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world's most glamorous city, Venice. He reluctantly attends a seance at a decaying, haunted palazzo, convinced by his old friend Ariadne (Tiny Fey). Soon enough, he gets thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets when one of the guests is murdered by a suspected ghost.
Kenneth Branagh rocks his oversized moustache one more time, this third instalment in the Agatha Christie remake train was far more engaging than its predecessor, Death on the Nile (2022). Inspired by the 'Hallowe'en Party' novel written by, Agatha Christie, of course. A Haunting in Venice (2023) sees a uniquely modern take on her classic story, with more creative freedom and far more mystery, It was intriguing to see how this story played out, with Poirot persistent on finding the truth, yet distracted by supernatural happening. I found this feature to have far more comedic nuances, although this instalment wasn't strictly funny it definitely had more room for light hearted thrills throughout.
The atmosphere of this film was a distinct change from what we've seen previously, dark and empty spaces with little to no colour. We get to see Poirot in a new environment, one he isn't particularly comfortable in. Kenneth Branagh is a spectacular Poirot, he performs the lovable anti-social detective as a truly heart warming man with a dedication to his craft. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Poirot out of his comfort zone and found the tonal change of this feature to be incredibly engaging.
The cast as a whole all brought dynamic characters, in a murder mystery each person must be a suspect; even the characters we are told to trust. This film truly turns the concept on its head and forces us to see the guilty side to everyone stories, I was fully enticed from the beginning to end. Each moment was dark and atmospheric with a few cheap thrills thrown in too... I can confidently say I jumped several times.
Overall, this third instalment ranked a lot higher than the second. A Haunting in Venice (2023) excelled in more areas than more. The characters were compelling, the story was unusual and the ending was truly magnificent. Watching a murder mystery is a must when the story wraps up into a neat little bow at the end, no stone left unturned, no question left unanswered, I enjoyed watching and I enjoyed writing this review.
Although, we didn't see a post credits scene this time... what will be next for Branagh's Poirot? I hope we see him again soon.
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