A Haunting in Venice

For me, this was quite a big disappointment. No, I haven’t seen Death on the Nile yet. However, I can compare this film to Murder on the Orient Express, and that one wins by a long shot. The idea of combining a classic detective story with horror elements seemed interesting on paper, but the result felt rather jarring. One wants to enjoy the intricate relationships and the murder investigation, but that’s hard to do when the film tries to scare you (and does so in a rather cheap way, even by horror standards). I also agree with the criticism that setting it in Venice was completely unnecessary. Why choose such a picturesque city when 90% of the plot takes place indoors? I don’t understand...On the other hand, Kenneth Branagh was excellent. I enjoy his eccentric take on Poirot (a similar example would be Craig’s Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out series). It’s extravagant but effective. As for the story with supernatural elements, I expected a more ingenious explanation. For a blockbuster, the ending felt rather lazy and poorly executed. What a shame. I give it a 5.5/10. (19/09/2023)

I think this is Branagh's best Poirot (so far?). The bet on a lesser-known case paid off, putting him in Venice was a great idea. And the best thing is the way Branagh the director enjoys the cramped setting of the old dank house falling apart, how strangely unsettling the shots from different angles are, how beautifully suspenseful and at times pure horror. The unravelling of the mystery may come as no surprise to those unfamiliar with the subject source material, but again, that's not really the point. It's about what the case leads Poirot himself to do and that, in turn, is absolutely brilliantly written and acted. (04/10/2023)

Admittedly made for less money, but by a huge margin the best Poirot by Kenneth Branagh. Intimate, elegant, understated, atmospheric. Where the Orient Express and  the Nile are overwrought and digital of, the beautiful mysterious residence in Venice makes do with playful camera angles, and without any CGI gimmicks. The horror overlay a nice bonus, oddly enough it holds up throughout the film, it wasn't just a trailer attraction. (23/09/2023)

For the third time, I ventured into the world of Hercule Poirot through Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal (his French-accented English is, once again, impeccable), hoping to finally find the atmosphere I’ve been longing for. And this time, it truly delivered. A Haunting in Venice shines with its fresh cast and replaces the lavishness of previous installments with a more intimate setting that suits the detective perfectly. The stunning shots of the house interiors never get old, and Venice’s empty streets are always captivating. The stormy weather adds a mandatory layer of suspense. Perhaps it also helps that this story isn't as familiar. For me, it was fantastic — mysterious, almost horror-like, and capped off with a perfect twist that left me leaving the theater utterly satisfied. (14/09/2023)

This time Kenneth Branagh took a lesser-known detective story and went to post-war Venice during Halloween: a promising constellation at first sight. The setting of an old, "cursed" house and the ubiquitous voice of a child "from beyond the grave" added a slight horror touch to the film, helping to build the oppressive, perhaps even paranoid atmosphere of a story full of superstition, ghosts and personal trauma. Still, I had the feeling during the screening that there was something not quite right about the film: whether it was the casting of Tina Fey, the staging of some scenes purely for effect, or the rather hasty revelation of the perpetrator and their subsequent punishment. Given the premise and the reviews, I had overly high expectations for the film, which were not satisfactorily met. I would be lying, however, if I said I didn't have fun in the cinema. Maybe one day I will return to Venice and reconsider my opinion. (20/09/2023)