Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as the iconic Hercule Poirot in “A Haunting in Venice,” a loose adaptation of Agatha Christie’s book “Halloween Party.” Branagh, who is also the director of this movie, once again brings together an ensemble of the finest thespians in this investigative thriller that has never previously been adapted to the screen. He takes ample poetic liberties with a modern narrative to appeal to contemporary viewers. Poirot is probably the most famous fictional sleuth after Sherlock Holmes. Giant and awe-inspiring in magnitude and packing a supernatural theme, “A Haunting in Venice” is Branagh’s third and best in the Poirot series.

The movie presents breathtaking views of Venice with its canals, the Adriatic Sea, and its Renaissance architecture, and throws in a touch of eerie supernatural thrills that add more intrigue to the plot. As the movie begins, we find Poirot (Branagh) taking a hiatus from crime-solving. He now has a strong bodyguard, Vitale (Riccardo Scamarcio), to shelter him from the doting public and the media.

It is the season of Halloween, when many residents of Venice, young and old, are dressed in black spooky costumes of goblins and spirits. A popular mystery writer, Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), an old acquaintance of the legendary detective, pays him a visit. She asks him to accompany her for a séance session at the palazzo of a famous opera singer, Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly). The séance is to be conducted by a ‘medium’ named Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), who claims to be able to channel Rowena’s late daughter, Alicia (Rowan Robinson). Alicia had apparently committed suicide after being devastated when her fiancé, Maxime (Kyle Allen), had broken off their engagement.

Poirot, a logical thinker and skeptic, has no belief in the supernatural. He is initially not keen on attending the event, but Ariadne manages to persuade him by challenging him to expose the medium as a fraud. So begins the intrigue, and Poirot, Ariadne, and Vitale travel to the enigmatic destination by ferry. As dusk turns to dark, they arrive at the old mystifying building. Rowena’s housekeeper, Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin), and her assistant, Desdemona (Emma Laird), are also present at the palazzo. Among the guests are the family physician, Leslie (Jamie Dornan), who seems to be suffering from PTSD, and his bright son, Leopold (Jude Hill).

Much to Rowena’s vexation, Maxine, her daughter’s former fiancé, also arrives for the occasion, and there is no love lost between the two. A Halloween-themed children’s party has been planned before the séance. The dark past of the beautiful palazzo is revealed through an impressive puppet show at the children’s party. In the past, the palazzo had been an orphanage where children were imprisoned and left to die. It is believed to be haunted by the spirits of their young souls, who now want retribution on doctors and nurses whom they hold responsible for their fate.

Before the séance begins, Poirot has a moment with Joyce and reprimands her for being a fraud. He accuses her of taking advantage of vulnerable people like Rowena, who are seeking relief from their grievous predicament. During the séance, Joyce claims to have contacted Alicia’s spirit and alleges that she was murdered and that the murderer is among the guests.

She poses questions to Alicia’s unseen spirit. In response, a typewriter in the room comes alive and autonomously types the letter M, on its own without human intervention. It takes Poirot no time to expose the trick when he discovers a young man hiding in the chimney and using a remote control device to work the typewriter. The young man is revealed to be Desmona’s half-brother.

However, at that very moment, the medium goes into a disturbing trance, and more seemingly unexplainable events occur, and then one of the guests dies from a violent mysterious accident. Later another guest also meets his doom.

The scene is set for the great Poirot to prove his mettle. However, Poirot seems to have succumbed to the circumstances when he himself begins to experience delusions. Has Poirot met his match? As one would expect, every guest other than Poirot has secrets and is a potential suspect. Can Poirot explain the happenings and find the person or persons responsible?

“A Haunting in Venice” is a captivating watch from start to finish.

Branagh began his career in theater and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His portrayal of Poirot is not quite the Poirot that Agatha Christie created, and that is just fine with me. Unlike Christie’s balding, short, and obese Poirot, Branagh is tall, slim, and seems to be in shape, despite a penchant for sweet bakery items. He is morose and brooding and plays the role with a theatrical flair. Tina Fey (of SNL fame) is charming as the not-so-nice writer Ariadne, a role she was born to play in real life (only the writer part).

As a director known for his showmanship, Branagh spares no punches. By assembling a talented ensemble cast, incorporating spellbinding cinematography, and extravagant sets, he has given us one of the best adaptations of Christie’s books. This movie was certainly meant for the big screen. This is a great watch for all adult moviegoers, particularly fans of cerebral whodunits. I cannot wait to see what his next Hercule Poirot mystery has in store.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Branagh