Contemporary blockbuster filmmaking is all about the origin story, so naturally, in “Death on the Nile,” his follow-up to the 2017 Agatha Christie mystery “Murder on the Orient Express,” director/star Kenneth Branagh details the nascence of one of his most fascinating recent screen creations: Hercule Poirot’s mustache. In “Murder on the Orient Express,” the seemingly sentient facial hair wasn’t worn by Branagh so much as it wore him, stretching from cheek to cheek in a feathered style of many layers that seemed to move almost independently of each other.
In “Death on the Nile” the tragic birth of Mustache is revealed, along with the Belgian detective’s backstory, in a black-and-white prologue set in the trenches of World War I, in which Branagh experiments with a cinematic style inspired by European early silent films (a far more interesting look than the overly shiny, digitally enhanced 65mm cinematography that follows). This war flashback illustrates Poirot’s innate facility for deductive reasoning, and also explains the disfiguring blast that inspired his signature facial hair as a cosmetic cover-up. Even more tragically, we see the love he has for Katherine (Susannah Fielding), a young nurse, the sorrow of her loss continuing to permeate his peculiar existence.
But enough about Mustache, who, unfortunately, remains one of the more intriguing supporting characters in “Death on the Nile,” with the most interesting backstory, despite the host of scandal-plagued movie stars who parade through the proceedings. But in a post-“Knives Out” world, it’s not enough to simply deliver a straightforward Christie murder mystery. Rian Johnson’s 2019 character-stuffed whodunit pretzeled in more twists than ever, plus witty social commentary about race and class, which “Death on the Nile” avoids, despite nods to diversity in casting. Johnson recently teased a hint that “Knives Out 2” may be set on a boat, which spells doom for the rather dull “Death on the Nile.”
During a vacation in Egypt, Hercule Poirot finds himself swept up in the wedding party of heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) and her rakish new hubby Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Seeking to escape the entreaties of Simon’s obsessed ex, Jacqueline (Emma Mackey), the group embarks on trip down the Nile aboard a posh riverboat. The motley crew includes Linnet’s old friend Rosalie (Letitia Wright), her aunt, a blues singer named Salome (Sophie Okonedo), Linnet’s ex-fiancé Dr. Windlesham (Russell Brand), her godmother Marie (Jennifer Saunders) and companion (Dawn French), Linnet’s close friend/accountant Katchadourian (Ali Fazal), her maid Louise (Rose Leslie), as well as Poirot’s pal from the Orient Express, Bouc (Tom Bateman) and his mother, Euphemia (Annette Bening). Eventually, a death will occur, and Poirot will be there to figure it out.
The problem with “Death on the Nile” is its uneven story distribution. It takes its time getting to the aforementioned death, but then rushes through the puzzling through part, and while some characters get plenty of attention to their motivations, others receive none. Presumably, this is to keep the suspect list constantly shifting, and the mystery does keep us guessing through the climax. But the script, by Branagh and Michael Green, is intently focused on Poirot’s psychology (and mustache), rather than the characters orbiting around him, which makes for a less-than-engaging thriller.
Among the cast, Mackey makes a memorable femme fatale, and Okonedo is unforgettable as the sultry blues singer who piques Poirot’s interest, but the rest of the characters are unfortunately as disposable as this pulp mystery feels, despite its epic ambitions.
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‘DEATH ON THE NILE’
2.5 (out of 4)
MPAA rating: PG-13 (for violence, some bloody images, and sexual material)
Running time: 2:07
Where to watch: In theaters Friday
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