DAVID ADAMS watches the Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Death on the Nile’…
Death on the Nile (AU – M/UK – 12A/US – PG-13)
In a word: Underwhelming
Some of the ensemble cast in Death on the Nile.
Kenneth Branagh has reprised his role as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot in another remake of one of the most famous films featuring the Belgian detective which, like Murder on the Orient Express, was last played on the big screen by the late Sir Peter Ustinov in 1978 (there was, of course, a small screen version in the meantime featuring David Suchet).
The latest version starts with a glimpse into Poirot’s past (in particular why he’s so fond of his moustache) as part of what is, in the end, an overly long prelude to the main event – the actual death – or deaths – on the Nile.
It concerns the love triangle which forms a key part of the back story to the film between Jacqueline de Bellefort (played by Emma Mackey), her friend, wealthy socialite Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) and the man who jilts the first for the second – Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Stalked by Bellefort in the aftermath of their coming together, Ridgeway and Doyle decide to get married in Egypt and so we find them and their guests eventually bundled onboard the magnificant riverboat Karnak in a sort of floating honeymoon (with friends).
The Branagh-directed film features a strong ensemble cast including Tom Bateman as Bouc (whom we met in the previous film), Annette Bening as his mother Euphemia, a very constrained Russell Brand as Dr Windlesham, Sophie Okonedo as American singer Salome Otterbourne and Letitia Wright as her daughter/manager Rosalie with Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler and Dawn French as her nurse, Bowers.
Secrets are unearthed and scandals uncovered as Poirot investigates, seemingly accusing everyone of misdeeds (it is a problem, he must admit). But we don’t really see anyone stretched in their roles as the story unfolds with what, at times, appears to be an unseemly, haste leaving the depiction of the characters (surely key to the success of such an ensemble film?), rather thin.
As was the case with Murder on the Orient Express, the background scenery is impressive (even if the CGI slightly detectable) and the attention to detail impeccable. But, with not much substance behind the glitz, Death on the Nile simply doesn’t live up to the high standard Branagh set with the previous film.
