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Old 03 Mar 2018, 10:50   #6772
PanicLord
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Join Date: 18.06.2003
Location:  At The End Of The Line
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Murder On The Orient Express 2017

Here's a thing. I never liked the 1974 version of this. It is too 70s for my liking. And Albert Finney just shouts all the time.

But I loved the David Suchet version. He IS Poirot, just as Joan Hickson IS Miss Marple.

But I love a good detective story and was very excited by the cast. But I did wonder what would be new about it.

The sad truth is, very little. The prologue with the priests is excellent and combines an amusing introduction with a great demonstration of the genius of Poirot. There are even a couple of shades of Sherlock about his initial meeting with Daisy Ridley. And you end up thinking it's going to be a fun ride.

But then the tone changes significantly once the murder happens. You can tell that they've switched back to the book. But the biggest crime committed is that the astonishing cast is largely waste. Johnny Depp is excellent as is Michelle Pfeiffer. Josh Gad was surprisingly good too. But most of the rest of the cast are just interview number x of 10 as Poirot just goes and talks to them one by one.

Yes I know that's the book. But that's been done already. It's a shame that it wasn't a braver adaptation that shook things up a bit more.

Kenneth Brannagh plays Poirot's emotional journey and dilemma superbly but ends up reminding me a little of Geraldine McEwan's Miss Marple. Sharp, witty, capable of genuine emotion, but ultimately not quite what you think of as the character.

And the much talked about moustache? Well it is magnificent. But it's a little symptomatic of the film itself... oooh look at the shiny train. Oooh look at the amazing cast list. Oooh look at the superb moustache. Oooh look at Kenneth Brannagh. But don't look beyond that because there's not much else that's new.

I know that all sounds very critical. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the film. It does what it sets out to do well. I just think it could have done so much more.

3/5
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