A murder occurs during a performance of The Mousetrap: an investigation begins. Ever-so-slightly pleased with itself mashup of allsorts – The Real Inspector Hound, Noises Off, Agatha Christie, even a Brian de Palma moment or two – that’s nevertheless brisk, funny, well-played, and looks great.
Here’s the trailer.
Hercule Poirot joins a wedding party in Egypt: murder follows. This second Branagh Agatha Christie adaptation suffers like its predecessor from plasticky production values, over-direction, and a too-serious approach to the material. It livens up eventually, but the Ustinov version is still way more fun.
Here’s the trailer:
Hercule Poirot must investigate a killing on a luxury sleeper service. Handsome if slightly stagey and camp version of the Agatha Christie stalwart. An awkward backstory and too many starry suspects make for tricky telescoping of the novel, but fans won’t mind a bit.
Here’s the trailer. And a previous review.
Hercule Poirot holidays in Egypt; murder is soon afoot. Quasi-sequel to Murder on the Orient Express. Breezy escapist fun with a rich cast of character actors and bright young things hamming/preening respectively, though its clumsy treatment of non-whites plays as racist rather than as innocent comic relief.
Hercule Poirot finds himself in the middle of an elaborate onboard murder. Classy all-star version of the Agatha Christie warhorse. The business of the plot makes in-depth characterisation problematic, but everyone gets their moment to shine, with no resorting to the opening out of the recent Branagh version.
Hercule Poirot must investigate a killing on a sumptuous cross-Europe train. Handsome and starry, this Agatha Christie adaptation struggles to showcase its cast or its plot, so while not-entertaining, feels a bit mechanical.
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