Review: Death On The Nile

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.

Released hot on the heels of Kenneth Branagh's lovely and acclaimed "Belfast," the director's adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile" (which was previously made into a movie in 1978) follows his 2017 adaptation of the author's "Murder on the Orient Express" (previously made into a film in 1974). In other words, the film - which was supposed to have been released some time ago - is meant to capitalize on the director's possible Oscar winner.

Much like the 2017 "Orient Express," this latest Hercule Poirot (once again played by Branagh) mystery didn't likely need an update, but it's an amiable enough mystery with exotic locales, a solid cast and a few twists and turns, although it's not too hard to figure out who the murderer is early on and why they've turned to crime. 

At the film's beginning, Poirot happens to be in Egypt, where he runs into an old friend, Bouc (Tom Bateman, reprising his "Orient Express" role), and his mother, Euphemia (an acerbic Annette Bening). Poirot witnesses some romantic drama play out in the background as a dashing man (Armie Hammer) seemingly ditches a woman to whom he was engaged (Emma Mackey) and makes advances toward a rich heiress (Gal Godot), to whom he is quickly betrothed.

Godot's character says she doesn't trust the smorgasbord of characters - which includes the aforementioned as well as a musician (Sophie Okonedo), her daughter (Letitia Wright), a lawyer cousin of the heiress (Ali Fazal), an ex-lover and doctor (a surprisingly understated Russell Brand), a personal maid (Rose Leslie) and a godmother (Jennifer Saunders) with a traveling assistant (Dawn French) - who are in attendance and asks Poirot to join a trip down the Nile on a boat with these characters to celebrate her marriage.

Shortly after a trip to a pyramid - complete with a sandstorm - almost ends in death, a character is found murdered aboard the boat. Several other deaths follow and, of course, Poirot finds himself on the case, questioning each of the characters and lingering on why any one of them might have had a reason to commit murder. While these scenes are enjoyable enough, they are somewhat rote.

One element of the picture that gives it a little more meat than its predecessor is a flashback scene at the film's beginning in black and white in which a young Poirot makes a suggestion in the trenches of World War I that leads to a military success, but also a love affair and a permanent scarring. For much of the film's running time, you might wonder why this incident is shown, despite its adding a little more background to Poirot's character, but it once again is referenced in the finale in a satisfying manner.

"Death on the Nile" doesn't stray too much from exactly what one might expect of a big budget period piece murder mystery featuring a famous detective, but it's an enjoyable enough example of one. Just as Branagh's "Orient Express" remake didn't exactly improve upon Sidney Lumet's original, neither does this "Death on the Nile" contain too much in the way of major surprises. It's a well-crafted studio picture that is satisfied with being exactly what it advertises.