Murder on the Orient Express

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Kenneth Branagh’s mustache, Daisy Ridley, Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Josh Gad, Michelle Pfeiffer, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 114 minutes

All Aboard!

Just in case you scrolled by that picture up there, I invite you to give it another look. You might think, “Oh, I could get lost in those eyes,” or “That sure is some sweaty hair.” Those reactions are good and right, but don’t miss the most important thing: that glorious ‘stache.

Allow me to give a quick review. When you’re first greeted by this ornate upper lipholstery, it seems extravagant. You’re not sure what to make of it. Is it real? Is it fake? Does it matter? Yet, over time, you begin to notice its beauty. Those flawless handlebars grow on you. It has a remarkable stoicism, remaining steadfast on the face of a very animated man, never letting so much as a single hair go astray for even a second. It’s then, as this plumage begins to transcend mere mustache status, that it begins to reveal its layers. What we’re looking at here is the illusive mustache within a mustache. Sure, it may seem shaky at first, but it eventually reveals its masterful execution in its depth and in-your-face style.

Coincidentally, this is exactly how I felt about “Murder on the Orient Express”.

“Murder on the Orient Express” follows fabled detective Hercule Poirot as he attempts to solve a peculiar murder on a train. It should be noted that this film is based on Agatha Christie’s eponymous novel and is a remake of the 1974 adaptation of the same story. However, this is my first encounter with the story.

Detective fiction has begun to feel like something out of a bygone era. By extension, “Murder on the Orient Express” feels both traditional in the best sense and a breath of fresh air, especially after the disaster of a mystery that was “The Snowman”. There seems to be a trend in mystery films of late where every detective has to be an intensely serious, brooding and broken man whose deep-rooted need for justice comes from an incredibly traumatic childhood or event. Character development is great, of course, but not when the actual mystery at hand is forgotten for it.

“Murder on the Orient Express”, on the other hand, is a welcome change of pace. The film doesn’t feel like it needs to justify Poirot’s vocation, he simply loves a good puzzle and seeing justice done. This is pure mystery through and through, with profoundly few distractions taking away from the rhythm of finding clues and making deductions. In other words, it capitalizes on the most enjoyable aspects of the genre.

In the process, “Murder on the Orient Express” even leaves a little room for some over-the-top humor in delivering what audiences expect from a mystery without feeling ridiculous. For examply, Poirot delivers this line in reference to crime: “There are two people who will know. Yes, two people. Your God, and Hercule Poirot.” This pride (and this line) is earned, as Poirot is certainly proved right in his self-evaluation. It’s constantly thrilling to try to guess what’s going to happen next and watch Poirot and his mustache do their work.

On top of this self-stylization from Poirot, “Murder on the Orient Express” oozes with style of its own. The cinematography is constantly gorgeous, capturing amazing landscape shots while still providing a great sense of space within the train. Every character looks amazing and distinct, all playing stereotypes that avoid coming across as overdone, presumably because of the caliber of the ensemble. The film also doesn’t sacrifice substance for style, including tons of amazing imagery that adds to the story, especially that of Da Vinci’s the Last Supper in a climactic moment that works perfectly in execution.

This thematic depth extends further than evocative imagery. “Murder on the Orient Express” ruminates well on the topic of justice, specifically regarding the idea that one crime leads to many others. Although the film arrives at what I believe to be the wrong conclusion on the idea of justice, it doesn’t take a hard stance. Instead, it invites the audience to think about how they would’ve handled the situation. This gray area is greatly appreciated in relation to such a difficult question.

Unfortunately, “Murder on the Orient Express” does get off to a bit of a rocky start. It starts out in a confusing manner and throws too much exposition at you that doesn’t end up mattering at all. In that way, I think “Murder on the Orient Express” would’ve worked better as a single-location film, cutting out all the aspects at the beginning of the film that don’t take place on the train. However, once the film gets on track (which, in this case, is an actual track), it’s a fun ride all the way to its surprising destination.

Overall, my opinion of “Murder on the Orient Express” mirrors my opinion of Branagh’s mustache. Even though I was thrown off at first, once I was able to recognize its beauty and depth, I fell in love with it. I think you will too.

Check out the rest of my reviews here.