Oscar winner Kenneth Branagh is back as the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, this time pulled out of retirement to possibly expose a phony séance, in the murder mystery A Haunting in Venice.
The film opens in 1947 with a retired Poirot living a relaxed and peaceful life in Venice when he’s visited by an old friend, mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey, 30 Rock). Ariadne needs his talents and insists Poirot attend a Halloween party and séance with her at the palazzo of the famous opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly, Yellowstone). Ariadne wants his help to prove or disprove that the medium, Mrs. Reynolds (Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once), is a fake.
During the party before the séance, Poirot meets Rowena and hears the tragic story of how her lovesick daughter, Alicia (Rowan Robinson), committed suicide by jumping off the balcony into the canal below. Rowena, who was extremely close to her daughter, is desperate to hear her voice once again and hopes Mrs. Reynolds will be able to make contact with her from the beyond.
While the séance is underway, Mrs. Reynolds – in Alicia’s voice – yells out, “Murderer!” implying that her death was not a suicide. Shortly after the séance, a murder is committed just moments after Poirot himself is attacked by an unseen assailant.
Determined to discover the identity of the murderer, the Belgian detective locks everyone in the giant house. “Someone is dead. No one will leave this place until I know who did it,” says the retired detective.
Using his great talents of deduction, observation, and interrogation, Poirot begins investigating everyone in the house, which includes Drake, housekeeper Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin); Dr. Leslie Ferrier (Jamie Dornan); Leslie’s precocious son, Leopold (Belfast’s Jude Hill); Reynold’s assistant, Desdemona (Emma Laird); and even his old friend Ariadne Oliver who takes offense to being labeled a suspect and says, “Don’t look at me like I’m a suspect – we’re old friends.”
Poirot replies, “Every murderer is somebody’s old friend.”
Directed by Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express), A Haunting in Venice is a slick gothic murder mystery with a stellar cast and wonderful production. It’s part murder mystery and part haunted house thriller, which adds to the tension and tone of the film.
Branagh once again shines in his performance as the arrogant, cultured, and undeniably brilliant detective Hercule Poirot. Branagh has truly made this character his own, and it’s a marvelous take on an iconic character.
Tina Fey is a perfect choice to play novelist Ariadne Oliver, who has her own secret motives for dragging Poirot to the party. Fey plays Ariadne as a strong, smart, independent woman of the 1940s with sass whose career needs a boost. Fey and Branagh have solid chemistry on screen together.
Michelle Yeoh is delightfully creepy and mysterious as Mrs. Reynolds, the medium who might not be what she seems and who has her own secret agenda. Young Jude Hill (reuniting with Dornan, who played his dad in Belfast, as well as Belfast’s writer/director Branagh) gives another impressive performance as Leopold, the extremely bright boy who notices almost everything and who is more of the adult in the relationship with his shell-shocked father.
The production of the film is visually striking with its 1940s attire, and the classic gothic-style building for the site of the murder makes for an eerie and suspenseful experience.
With stylish direction and strong performances, A Haunting in Venice is a compelling murder mystery and the best of the three films starring Branagh as Hercule Poirot.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images, and thematic elements
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Release Date: September 15, 2023
Studio: 20th Century Studios
