Murder on the Orient Express review: It's a fitting screen-adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous novel

It is never easy to adapt a bestselling novel for the big screen. And when it is world's famous murder mystery, the task becomes more difficult. Comparisons are bound to be there and most often, the screen adaptation pales in comparison to the book.

When Keneth Branagh decided to adapt Agatha Christie's famous Murder on the Orient Express for the big screen, fans of the author were skeptical about it. Would the film be able to do justice to the supremely fine writing? Would the film be able to create the romantic, pristine old world ambiance well?

To begin with, Murder on the Orient Express has an enviable star cast. From Daisy Ridley, to Penelope Cruz, To Michelle Pfeiffer to Jonny Depp to even Dame Judi Dench, all come on board the Orient Express along with Branagh himself who plays Christie's maverick detective Hercule Poirot.

Murder On The Orient Express (Others)

For those who haven't read the book, the story is- as the title suggests- about a brutal murder that takes place inside the luxurious Orient Express on a snowed-in night in the middle of nowhere. The train gets derailed and as the body is discovered- by Poirot himself, all 13 passengers on board become suspects for the world's sharpest detective.

As Poirot goes around interrogating the passengers, old stories, relations, and insecurities come tumbling out - making each character appear equally responsible for thecrime.

While Branagh has the most prominent role in the film- naturally he plays detective Hercule Poirot and the story is from his point of view- the rest of the cast play their parts well and are pitch perfect in their respective roles. From Cruz to Depp to Pfeiffer, all deliver solid performances.

Above all, it is Branagh's film and the man gets the mannerisms and the look(to an extent) of the self-consumed, egotistical, sharp Hercule Poirot perfectly. The famous mustache is there, there chivalry is there and along with it Branagh slightly touches upon the human side of Poirot. A few instances Poirot keep speaking to his lady love Kathrine and one can see the emotional side of the cold, straight face detective.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Murder On The Orient Express (Others)

Branagh also manages to create the perfect old-world charm in the movie- from the narrative which is set at a leisurely pace to the set - which is set inside a luxurious train, the ambiance is perfect for a Christie story.
The only glitch is that in the second half the pace of the story slackens a bit but the climax makes up for it.

The film also has breathtaking scenes. Shot by Haris Zambarloukos, every scene is absolutely breathtaking. Even the VFX is so good that the avalanche scene appears almost real. The last scene where Poirot gets off the train is the perfect parting shot with the blazing sunrise in the background and white snow all around.

Does it match up to Christie's book? Most certainly it does. For a modern-day audience, it is a perfect ride back to all things vintage. And while you figure out who the killer is- you can also feast your eyes on the incredible star cast. We do see a possible franchise coming out of it? Will Branagh make more films based on Poirot's cases? We sure hope so.

Rating: 3.5/5