A Haunting in Venice

The world’s best detective and his moustache are back for another murder mystery, only this time with a spooky Halloween theme. Perfect timing. Horror fans have been spoilt these last two months with the scary selection of movies in the cinema at the moment and if you’re looking to continue with the horror theme then be sure to check out A Haunting in Venice.

Set in post WWII Venice, on Halloween night. A now retired Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is enjoying his own company and ignoring the potential cases that appear at his door every morning. He is no longer interested in looking at new mysteries to solve but after a visit from famous crime writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) he very reluctantly agrees to attend a séance at the palazzo of opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly). But while at the séance sure wouldn’t you know it, a guest is murdered. Death just seems to follow Poirot wherever he goes and considering the circumstances he is once again forced to investigate the murder and find the killer before they strike again.

Adapted from Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party and a new one brought to the big screen from Kenneth Branagh. Last time we saw Hercule Poirot he’d had just about enough of detective work after his journey on the Nile (honestly Kenneth, we all feel the same). Though don’t let that experience stop you from seeing A Haunting in Venice because I promise it’s a much more enjoyable experience in the cinema than Death on the Nile.

A Haunting in Venice is quite different from the other two, it’s scarier for a start. It’s a modern whodunit that still has a very old fashioned feel to it. Packed full of Dutch angles, weird shots and there’s lots and lots of loud bangs and unexplained occurrences going on throughout. Very much keeping with the creepy, gothic theme. It has an almost single location setting, with a very concise and better structured story. Yes it might be a little bit over the top at times and as usual Kenneth Branagh is chewing the scenery with his portrayal of Poirot again but it’s entertaining to watch as he’s clearly having so much fun playing this character. If he wants to continue playing the world’s greatest detective let him. I’m sure lots of murder mystery fans will continue to enjoy these movies. And with a whole collection of Agatha Christie novels to work with, we probably haven’t seen the last of Hercule Poirot.

For me, it’s not quite as good as Murder on the Orient Express but it’s far better than Death on the Nile. A Haunting in Venice is enjoyable from start to finish and is recommended for the Kenneth Branagh fans and/or everyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

★★★☆☆

(L-R): Riccardo Scamarcio as Vitale Portfoglio, Camille Cottin as Olga Seminoff, Jude Hill as Leopold Ferrier, Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver, Kelly Reilly as Rowena Drake, Emma Laird as Desdemona Holland, Ali Khan as Nicholas Holland, and Kyle Allen as Maxime Gerard in 20th Century Studios’ A HAUNTING IN VENICE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.