Genre:
Crime, Drama, and Mystery
Director:
Kenneth Branagh
Writer:
Michael Green
Editor:
Mick Audsley
Cinematographer:
Haris Zambarloukos
Production
Design: Jim Clay
Rated:
PG-13
Based on Agatha Christie’s novel, thirteen
passengers trapped on the Orient Express as World Famous Detective, Hercule
Poirot races the clock before the murder strikes again.
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is one of my favorite films
of 2017. If you love crime/detective genre, you will most likely enjoy this
movie. A marvelous film discussing the right and wrong, balance and unbalance
as Detective Poirot investigate all the passengers and their identity. Poirot
is the type of detective that notices all the little details. He loves balance
which shows through his breakfast eggs, if one shoe steps in poop the other
must follow to create balance. Unbalance bothers Poirot as he points out when
he sees a crooked tie.
Piorot’s quirks reminded
me of other detectives like Monk and Sherlock. Agatha Christie also wrote, ‘Miss
Marple’ which is another famous mystery TV show about an old woman running into
mystery where ever she goes and solves the crime. Piorot’s personality is the
comedic relief in the film.
All the actors were amazing in the film, especially Kenneth
Branagh who plays the main character and directs the entire film. As an Actor as well, the Director has an
easier understanding on how actors think and give helpful tips in expressing
certain movements and emotions. It always amazes me how a director can do both
jobs of overseeing everything while also focusing on their performance.
Especially if they are the main character like Kenneth Branagh playing Poirot
in the film.
There are several interviews with suspects which are usually
a must in mystery, especially if you saw other mystery shows such as ‘Miss
Marple’ and ‘Midsomer Murders.’ The interview can seem dragging after a while
for some people, but once the story reaches the fast pace people will enjoy the
film again. The opening scene really help introduce who and how Poirot works
which will show through out the film.
The cinematography had
breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and shots throughout the train. Especially
the interesting the shots when investigating the crime scene with the roof
shot. The shots were interesting to look, but it didn’t take you out of the
scene like some experimental shots in other films showed. It was nice hearing
several languages in the film to express the various ethnicity on the train.
========================Contain Spoilers===========================
While on the train, there are several reflections of the
passengers through mirrors and using the camera’s angle with the train set to
show two to three reflections of the characters to symbolize the different
faces they show in the film. The first story, the cover up, and their true
identity.
The passengers expressed such strong emotion especially how
so many people’s live were effected by one man’s action. Through that man’s
action brought all those people together. The film expressed human twist and
conflicts which moved me to tears as I watched all the raw emotion the passengers
had against one man.
Poirot talks about always seeing a crack in the wall which
relates to cracking a case. The ‘crack in the wall’ is also physically shown in
the beginning as Poirot solves the first mystery by noticing the crack/smudge
in a wall painting which lead him to the thief. Once Poirot revels the thief, the
criminal tries to escape but stopped by Poirot’s cane which he placed inside a
small crack in a wall. Another example is when he uses his cane to break
through the slightly open door to the crime scene.
This film had lots of well-known actors such as Daisy Ridley
from ‘Star War’ and Leslie Odom Jr. who played Sir Aaron Burr in the musical, ‘Hamilton.’
My friend and I were hoping Leslie would start singing in the film~
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is a must see for all those
mystery lovers out there.
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