Review: Death on the Nile

I will admit I had meager expectations for Death on the Nile. For those who have watched its predecessor murder on the Orient Express, you probably know why. The star-studded cast of that film was the only good thing about it. So I went in with the same expectation for this one. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised. 

Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as the meticulous detective Hercule Poirot. We first see him at a jazz club, scanning the crowd observing what would soon become a scandalous affair. Months go by, and we see the detective on vacation in Egypt, where he runs into his old friend Bouc (Tom Bateman). Bouc invites him to the wedding reception of Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) and Simon Doyle (Arnie Hammer). Feeling threatened by assignments, scorned lover Linnet hires Hercule to protect them as they embark on a cruise that leads to a honeymoon of horrors. 

I love a good murder mystery, and I was sad when Murder on the Orient Express didn’t quite meet my standards. Now I’m not saying Death on the Nile is perfect, but I will say it was better than expected. So for this review, I will break down what was good and bad about Death on the Nile. 

THE GOOD

As I said, this is a star-studded cast. And while Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer are the top-billed, there were a few minor characters that I was delighted to see, two of those being the absolutely fabulous Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French. Now this movie had quite the ensemble with some comedic heavy hitters. The surprising thing is that the actors known for their comedy weren’t getting the laughs. Kenneth Branagh was the one who carried the comedic moments with subtle quips. 

The film was also stunning to look at. The gorgeous cinematography was enhanced by beautiful camera work. As for the storytelling, it was fast-paced and didn’t drag.

THE BAD

While the movie didn’t drag, some of the direction was clunky. The movie as a whole could have felt a little more luxurious. We’re following a couple where money is no obstacle, yet I never felt the wealth jumping off-screen. I also wish we could have dived deeper into how Hercule Poirot’s mind worked. We see that he is meticulous, but it would have been more interesting to see how his detective skills work through his mind. 

This is also a CGI-heavy movie, and it was apparent. I’m not opposed to CGI if it doesn’t look fake, but some scenes could have used a little more care. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

Death on the Nile is a fun ride. It’s not the best movie you’ll ever watch, but it’s also not the worst. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries like me, you’ll probably figure out the twist way before it happens, but that doesn’t lessen the fun.