Murderon the Orient Express Movie: Check out Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express hollywood movie release date, cast & crew, trailer, songs, teaser, story, review, budget, first day BollywoodEntertainment at its best. Last Updated 08.07.2022 | 11:24 PM IST SEARCH Decem Review | 'Murder on the Orient Express' is the detective movie millenials deserve With a satisfying resolution, Murder on the Orient Express is a triumphant old-school film that shows that black-and-white TheReel Pineapple. 14-11-2017 • 28分. Remakes are always a risky proposition, is this a worthy adaptation of the 74 original; or does this the rails? The Reel Crew gives you our thoughts on Murder on the Orient Express! Murderon the Orient Express Review By Rich Cline The latest adaptation of Agatha Christie's 83-year-old classic whodunit, this lavish, star-studded film is old-style entertainment. Theacting in this movie is superb. Johnny Depp is amazing as the victim Ratchett and gives a performance straight from an 'old-fashioned' gangster movie. He is completely believable as a frightening yet nervous man with an evil nature. Dame Judi Dench as the cold and commanding Princess Dragomiroff is so terrific. . There is a moment early in Kenneth Branagh’s intricately constructed adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic whodunnit when Hercule Poirot Branagh stands on the deck of a ship as it leaves Istanbul. Poirot is captured center frame The deck, the railing, the adjacent cabin and the sea itself are balanced perfectly around him. The shot is illustrative of Murder on the Orient Express as a whole, which centers upon Poirot as the audience’s guide through the cinematic lattice, and also as the center of the film’s thematic and indeed philosophical exploration. As one would expect in a detective drama, Poirot provides the balance between mystery and understanding, but this conceit goes further, as this very balance becomes less steady and understanding less certain as the narrative unfolds. The twists and turns of the story are well known to many. This reviewer, however, had the pleasure of not knowing the story at all and therefore encountered the titular murder and subsequent investigation as a series of reveals and genuine surprises. Even those familiar with the story, however, may find much to enjoy with Branagh’s stylish presentation and delivery. Director of photography Haris Zambarloukos creates a mobile and captivating cinematography, including some extraordinary overhead shots that delay showing the full extent of a scene just long enough for the viewer to cease expecting it, before the camera pans to reveal further details. Zambarloukos also captures much of the film in long takes reminiscent of the work of Emmanuel Lubezki in “Birdman” and “The Revenant.” Like the latter of these, a cold and snowy environment enshrouds the events of Murder On The Orient Express, vast mountains dwarfing the eponymous train as it moves with a smooth motion similar to that of the camera. This fluid visual style neatly complements the wattage of the starry cast who play the passengers aboard the famous train, all of which are neatly sketched and provide a colorful collection of characters. From Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales” oily Edward Ratchett who spars words with Poirot over cake, to Judi Dench’s “Victoria and Abdul” haughty Princess Dragomiroff and her seemingly downtrodden maid Hildegarde Schmidt Olivia Colman, “Tyrannosaur”; from Michelle Pfeiffer’s “mother!” overly garrulous Caroline Hubbard to regular Branagh collaborator Derek Jacobi’s “My Week with Marilyn” Edward Henry Masterman; from Willem Dafoe’s “The Florida Project” curiously accented Gerhard Hardman to Daisy Ridley’s “Star Wars The Last Jedi” stellar turn as the cool and collected Mary Debenham, each passenger/suspect is more than they seem and provides an excellent foil to Poirot. Yet the film ensures that Poirot himself is also layered, as a constant strain of melancholy plays behind Branagh’s searching eyes and flamboyant mustache. Poirot’s remarkable deductive abilities and suggestions of obsessive compulsive disorder are balanced with regular references to a photograph of a lost love, and a broader sadness at a world that he believes is not how it should be. This belief feeds into the philosophical investigation of Murder on the Orient Express, which seems to develop in response to Poirot’s a rather naïve moral perspective, expressed early in the film “I can only see a world as it should be. It makes an imperfection stick out like the nose on your face.” His view proves highly significant, as while the viewer may agree or disagree with Poirot, it makes sense that a detective would create a mental construct as a bulwark against the contradictions and iniquities that Branagh’s character encounters. But as Poirot and the audience learns, if no one is what they seem, perhaps the world at large is similarly dubious and possessed of shades of gray. This conceit plays into the visuals, as at times the largely digital exteriors are at odds with the physical interiors. Jim Clay’s production design evokes a sense of period, location and society, but the digital effects seem overly pristine and smack of artifice, modernity and transience. Yet this tension is thematically effective as Murder On The Orient Express is acutely interested in the tensions between artifice and reality. Many shots capture the characters through multi-paned windows, expressing the multiple roles they play and the various perspectives available, both narratively and morally. The film emphasizes such relativity in moments when Poirot reconstructs the events of the titular and other crimes, in a manner similar though more reserved than that seen in “The Limehouse Golem” earlier this year. Also unlike that film, Murder On The Orient Express eschews gore, which again supports the somewhat conservative morality that Poirot puts forward, and adds further meat to the philosophical meal. So much visual and narrative backflipping might become wearing if without purpose, but where the film goes with this perspective proves to be arresting and feels quite radical. At one point there seems to be a resolution that feels somewhat anticlimactic, but more is still to come before Branagh/Poirot delivers the coup de grace that is both expected yet refreshing and pleasingly ambiguous. This ambiguity undercuts the overtly artificial construction of the film’s milieu, demonstrating that standards of morality and ethics may be as much a construct as the mechanisms of a railroad, or indeed a plot. It is the film’s philosophical investigation, that perhaps Ludwig Wittgenstein might enjoy, that elevates Murder on the Orient Express into something special. Combined with his starry cast, intricate and vivacious storytelling, Branagh has breathed new life into a classic story, making it fresh, vibrant and relevant. A Lot or a Little? What you will—and won't—find in this movie. Where to Watch Videos and Photos Parents say 24 Kids say 51 age 12+ Based on 24 parent reviews April 20, 2023 Totally awesome mystery movie! Entertaining whodunnit doesn’t have too much violence nor bad language. This movie is based on the book by Agatha Christie and the first version of the movie in 1974. Although the movie isn’t very violent it does have some drinking alcohol and consuming drugs. There is some violence a man gets stabbed 12 times in the stomach and some violent dialogue but nothing too hairy. Families will enjoy this murder mystery sequel and will love the storyline. I think this movie is great for ages 10+ This title has Great messages Great role models Too much drinking/drugs/smoking 1 person found this helpful. May 30, 2022 Classic whodunit with a lot of style and panache Excellently shot, fantastic pacing and appropriate liberties were taken with the source material. Fabu job modernizing the portrayals in order to have a cast that reflects 2017 and contemporizing the mystery so more of the audience is invested. Branagh does a fabulous job...on pins and needles for Death on the Nile. What's the Story? In MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, master detective Hercule Poirot Kenneth Branagh has just solved a case in Jerusalem and is looking forward to a vacation. Unfortunately, he's summoned to another case in London and must board the Orient Express. A boorish passenger, Ratchett Johnny Depp, whose business appears shady, tries to hire Poirot for protection. Next thing anyone knows, Ratchett has been murdered, and there's a whole train car full of suspects. Poirot interviews them one by one, including Ratchett's secretary Josh Gad, his valet Derek Jacobi, a society lady Michelle Pfeiffer, a princess Judi Dench, a professor Willem Dafoe, a governess Daisy Ridley, a doctor Leslie Odom Jr., and a missionary Penelope Cruz. But the more Poirot learns, the less the clues seem to add up; they even seem to contradict one another. He comes to realize that this case will lead him to question everything he knows. Is It Any Good? Branagh calls on his finest classical directing skills to make this smart, old-fashioned murder mystery into an enjoyable, great-looking entertainment, with an ensemble cast to die for. Based on the novel by Agatha Christie, Branagh's colorful, fluid Murder on the Orient Express is a worthy companion to the book's previous big-screen adaptation, Sidney Lumet's 1974 version. Best of all, Branagh directs himself in the role of the famous detective Poirot, and it's as natural a fit as his outings as Henry V and Hamlet were. Branagh finds a fascinating emotional center to the character, a certain kind of pain that drives him, rather than just being really smart. Plus he has an amazing mustache. The movie takes place in a single location, but Branagh's camera moves gracefully through the narrow corridors; he never constricts or tightens for suspense purposes. He goes outside, or above, or wide, to bring all the characters together on a human level. He also uses mirrors and windows to fascinating effect. This isn't a traditional murder mystery, in that it's not particularly suspenseful or thrilling. Rather, it's content and mature enough to explore the reasons behind it all, to find the soul of the thing. This is a movie aimed at viewers who have a little bit of patience and who don't mind a little bit of the way things used to be. Talk to Your Kids About ... Families can talk about Murder on the Orient Express's violence. How much is actually shown? What's the impact of the violence that's not shown? Is this thrilling or shocking? How does the movie depict drinking and drugs? Are they glamorized? Do any of the characters appear to be addicts? What indicates that? What does the movie have to say about racism and discrimination? Which characters appear to be intolerant of characters from other cultures? How are they treated by others? Like Poirot, do you believe that there are simple, black-and-white solutions for every problem? Why or why not? Why do you think author Agatha Christie and her character Hercule Poirot have such enduring appeal? Movie Details In theaters November 10, 2017 On DVD or streaming February 27, 2018 Cast Daisy Ridley, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh Director Kenneth Branagh Studio Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation Genre Thriller Topics Book Characters Run time 114 minutes MPAA rating PG-13 MPAA explanation violence and thematic elements Last updated July 2, 2022 Did we miss something on diversity? Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update. Where to Watch Our Editors Recommend Thriller Movies Mystery TV Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. See how we rate Murder on the Orient Express 2017 Murder, she wrote, and Hollywood loved her for it. Or they used to, at least — plundering Agatha Christie’s vast catalog of posh, stabby whodunits for countless screen adaptations. But it’s taken actor-director Kenneth Branagh to sweep her from the dustier corners of PBS to center stage again in his Murder on the Orient Express, a lushly old-fashioned adaptation wrapped in a veritable turducken of pearls, monocles, and international movie stars. Branagh himself takes the plum role of one of Christie’s most beloved creations, the fussily brilliant Belgian detective Hercule pronounced Air-kool; “I do not slay ze lions” Poirot. A prim 1930s dandy with a penchant for bone-dry bons mots and a mustache so magnificent it looks like an eagle has landed its wingspan on his upper lip, he solves seemingly impossible crimes with a squinted eye and a flick of his silver walking stick. But trouble tends to find the good inspector, and so even a brief respite on the luxe Express — “three days free of care, concern, or crime” — becomes a snowbound CSI when a shady art dealer who believes he’s marked for death Johnny Depp, doing his best dime-store Al Capone attempts to enlist Poirot’s help in ferreting out his would-be assassin. The suspects are legion It could be his long-suffering secretary Josh Gad or butler Derek Jacobi, or the purring widow Michelle Pfeif­fer he nearly kissed in the corridor. Then again, there’s also something furtive about clever governess Mary Daisy Ridley and her hardly secret lover, Dr. Arbuthnot Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr.; the imperious Princess Dragomiroff and her cowed German maid Judi Dench and Olivia Colman, respectively; pious Pilar, the saintly missionary with the jagged scar on her cheek Penélope Cruz; slick Cuban auto magnate Marquez Manuel Garcia-Rulfo; and jumpy Austrian professor Gerhard ­Willem Dafoe. Stashed somewhere in there too are an elusive Count and Countess, high on ballet and barbiturates. The resolution of the movie’s central mystery is almost endearingly corny, less shocking twist than slow dinner-theater twirl. But Branagh executes his double duties with a gratifyingly light touch, tweaking the story’s more mothballed elements without burying it all in winky wham-bam modernity. His Poirot isn’t just highbrow camp, he’s a melancholy soul with a strict moral code. And his superhuman intuition serves him well; in the final scenes, he may just smell a sequel. B+ Murder on the Orient Express 2017 Murder on the Orient Express Reviews Movie Reviews By Reviewer Type All Critics Top Critics All Audience Verified Audience Prev Next While this take on Murder on the Orient Express is destined to exist as a Sunday afternoon matinee picture people will throw on and bask in, there is unmistakable depth and humanity inside the confectionary of its exterior and its big-budget staging. Full Review Original Score Mar 23, 2022 What remains most pleasurable about Murder on the Orient Express is the stylish and classical quality of the storytelling; it's an old-fashioned sort of murder mystery in more than the obvious ways. Full Review Original Score 3/4 Mar 17, 2022 A solid but slightly unremarkable bit of detective fiction. Full Review Original Score 3/5 Dec 29, 2021 With a glorious mustache that must be seen to be believed, Kenneth Branagh slips into the role of Hercule Poirot quite comfortably. Full Review Original Score B+ Aug 24, 2021 ...overall, Murder on the Orient Express should've been more engaging with a sense of urgency... Full Review Dec 23, 2020 To be honest, Branagh's stately direction means the mystery itself is a bit of a plod. Even if you don't already know whodunit. Full Review Dec 20, 2020 The beauty of this story is that everything seems coincidental or random, as if a bit of bad luck has resulted in an unsolvable slaying. Full Review Original Score 6/10 Dec 5, 2020 Agatha Christie deserves a better remake... Full Review Original Score 2/5 Nov 5, 2020 It's one of those films that feels completely and utterly unnecessary. Full Review Original Score Sep 17, 2020 We have charismatic actors dressed fashionably, wrapped in a story full of intrigue, and accompanied by a production design that feels lavish and detailed. Full Review Original Score B+ Jul 18, 2020 Filmed in glorious 65mm, Murder on the Orient Express is a lush adaptation in the grand tradition of those old Hollywood films that boasted "an International All-Star Cast." Full Review Jul 6, 2020 The journey begins well enough, but the train jumps the tracks and collides with a lifeless procedural that's more Kenneth Branagh vanity project than murder mystery. Full Review Original Score C Jul 1, 2020 It was fun. I like this kind of movie. Full Review May 13, 2020 This movie was silly and fun, and I had a good time. Full Review May 13, 2020 The actors here try too hard to flesh out roles that are little more than stock types. Full Review Mar 25, 2020 Overall Murder on the Orient Express is a worthwhile bit of fun. Fans of the book might will find it to be a slick, dutiful retelling of a classic, while newcomers will certainly be entertained, and may even be inspired to dip into Christie's literature. Full Review Mar 24, 2020 As a pure mystery, Murder on the Orient Express is just okay. But as a Branagh acting showcase, as a handsomely directed film, and as a nostalgic reminder of more elegant times, it's a triumph. Full Review Feb 20, 2020 If this is the quality of work he is able to produce on his first attempt with [Agatha] Christie's material, then [Kenneth] Branagh quite possibly has the next great franchise in his clearly capable hands. Full Review Original Score 4/5 Feb 15, 2020 Her Agatha Christie stories keep everyone guessing until the end, and no matter how the story is presented, it is always with a dramatic flare and a big reveal. Full Review Feb 4, 2020 When the big reveal finally happens, it is played out in grandiose bravura that most of us crave in a big production such as this. Full Review Original Score 3/4 Jan 24, 2020 Prev Next Do you think we mischaracterized a critic's review? I know. I KNOW. Ever since seeing the trailer for the mystery thriller “Murder on the Orient Express,” a question has been nagging at you. It’s not who among a diverse array of actors including Judi Dench as a Russian princess, Willem Dafoe as a German professor, Penelope Cruz as a depressed missionary and Johnny Depp as a thuggish art dealer, is the killer. But why has a small furry mammal disguised as a magnificent beast of a handlebar mustache in 50 shades of silvery gray taken up residence under Kenneth Branagh’s nose? The hair apparent seems specifically designed to practically steal every scene it appears in during this sumptuous yet ultimately stuffy and overstuffed big-screen return visit to Agatha Christie’s most durable novel. It's even responsible for the film’s best sight gag. If Branagh, the star and director behind the 21st-century digitally-enhanced stab at bringing this ensemble vehicle back to life wanted to make a statement to distinguish this take on his world-famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot from any other, he certainly has. In the 1974 movie adaptation helmed by Sidney Lumet, Albert Finney sported a pert black swatch with Dali-esque twirls at the ends. Boring, right? Branagh’s fuzzy wuzzy is like an ocean wave of whiskers, from ear to shining ear. Best supporting player? That honor goes to that dashing splash of a soul patch on his chin. OK, I am stalling. Let’s accentuate the positive first. The script by Michael Green “Blade Runner 2049” does a bang-up job of introducing us to Poirot, a fuss-budget stickler who demands perfectly cooked four-minute eggs and tsk-tsks their imperfect dimensions—and then doesn’t even bother to eat them. He is a control freak who insists on balance in everything, from how a tie sits around a man’s neck to impeccably baked bread. The place is Jerusalem actually, Malta as a stand-in and the year is 1934. Poirot is at the Wailing Wall about to deliver the solution to a crime tied to three clerics of different faiths and a stolen artifact. With the showbiz panache of a Vegas magician, he reveals the perpetrator with an unexpected flourish involving a cane. That sends the message, “Hey, this could be fun.” But matters get perfunctory rather quickly when fellow passengers whose baggage clearly includes secrets begin to pop up, including Daisy Ridley Rey in “Star Wars The Force Awakens” as a porcelain-skinned governess and Leslie Odom Jr. Aaron Burr in Broadway’s “Hamilton” as a doctor who attempt to disguise they are an interracial couple. Those marquee credits are bound to draw in the under-30 demographic. But, alas, the only fully fleshed-out being turns out to be Poirot, who moons over a portrait of a lost love and undergoes an existential crisis of sorts when he finds himself unexpectedly confounded when a dead body turns up on the train with an even dozen stab wounds. The luxury locomotive traveling from Istanbul to Calais also comes to a halt about a half-hour in when an avalanche causes it to stop in its tracks atop a dangerous trestle. I wish I could say that the storyline at least picks up steam, but it never quite does especially since it devolves into a series of private interrogations by the imperious Poirot in a café car. Michelle Pfeiffer does what she can as a man-hungry rich widow searching for her next husband. Derek Jacobi and Josh Gad conspire as a valet and assistant to Depp’s scar-faced hoodlum. Other performers barely have the presence or enough dialogue to make much of an impression including the incredibly talented Olivia Colman as Dench’s lady in waiting. In addition, there are veiled allusions to the 1932 kidnapping of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s baby son, which few besides history buffs will recognize today. Branagh, the actor, comes through unscathed. Branagh, the director, not so much. He did wonders with making Shakespeare relevant for young audiences with his “Henry V” and found a way to make Disney’s live-action “Cinderella” seem fresh and new. But despite camera trickery with ineffective overhead shots and a long one-take scene as Poirot boards the moving train, there is too little levity and cleverness afoot, especially with a cast whose talent is barely tapped. The key isn’t whodunit but how you do it. However, that mustache—which even grows limp and messy when matters get dicey for Poirot—deserves a place in the pantheon of great follicle-ly enhanced performances. Perhaps it could sit alongside George Clooney’s waxed-to-perfection facial accoutrement in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” As for “Murder on the Orient Express,” it squeaks by as passable entertainment by just a hair. Susan Wloszczyna Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes. 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murder on the orient express 2017 movie review