A Haunting in Venice
20th Century StudiosA Haunting in Venice is the newest of The Hercule Poirot mystery series directed by, and starring, Kenneth Branagh. The mustache-twirling hero is put up against his most difficult case yet; the case of humanity and their desire to find life after death. The film makes some fascinating choices in regard to sections revolving around spirits, even if the actual resolution was ultimately not all that satisfying. The cast is not necessarily the A-list extravaganza that the first two films were, but that feels more like a plus than anything, audiences are bound to notice the lack of a Gal Gadot type.
This is a film that is, surprisingly so, carried by top-of-the-line technical aspects. A genuinely gorgeous old-fashioned ghost story in a decades-worn home by the water. So many shots and angles are placed expertly through the perfectly paced runtime. Shots of water crashing, shadows bouncing, and our mustachioed hero grace the screen in horrific delight lending to an extremely tense mystery. Every thunderous lightning-filled clap is accompanied by the faint laughter of a child ringing in Poirot's head. There's so much here that justifies the existence of this franchise as Branagh legitimately has saved whatever juice he had left for this, the absolute best of the franchise.
There are some really excellent, scene-chewing performances at play here with Michelle Yeoh seemingly having the time of her life as a, possibly fake, psychic brought in to communicate with the dead. While she is most certainly a standout; Tina Fey, another very prominent actress in the film, plays a character who is a bit of a snake in a very fun, cartoonish way very well. The overall acting prowess on display is nothing to scoff at with nonstop talent being present and elevating the material quite a bit.
Taking the films in a slightly supernatural direction was an ingenious movie by Branagh and adapting Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie is one of the best tactics seen within an, admittedly, fledgling franchise. This could be a very good way to get audiences on board who may not have necessarily cared for a whodunit mystery but could be interested in a supernatural tale. The final act of the film has some flimsy narrative structure with the case being solved in a borderline laughable manner, but the character progression this gives to Poirot is top-of-the-line work from the cast and crew.
Audiences looking for a fun, Halloween-themed film with minimal chance of being too scared should look in the direction of A Haunting in Venice, this could most assuredly become a tradition to watch for many couples or families. Those interested in giving something new a try should really look no further as this is a spooky, fun time at the movies.