With a sprinkling of the supernatural, A Haunting in Venice marks the third outing of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot, and this may just be his most compelling. The famed detective is unceremoniously bought out of retirement when one of the guests at a seance is murdered, prompting an urgent investigation to uncover the killer.
When it comes to sequels, traditionally “bigger is better” is the way to go. However in this case, A Haunting in Venice takes a ‘stripped back’ approach, focusing on a small-scale story, a smaller group of characters and a much more confined setting. While the first two films in the trilogy felt more like big-budget murder mysteries set in grandiose locations, this one is set almost entirely within the walls of a house. With very spooky undertones, an eerie, confined atmosphere and a deep focus on dialogue, it gives the impression that you’re watching a play. Being like a play, the smaller scale helps to eliminate distractions and keep you locked in, and the dialogue-focused approach makes the story more impactful. It does take a minute to really get going – the build-up in the first act could be a little tighter – but once the location is set and the murder occurs, it’s a thrilling ride through to the end.
As far as the murder mystery goes, Branagh does a fine job once again at misdirecting audiences and adding layers of questions that ensure the reveals are impactful whether you guessed correctly or not. There’s twists, turns and the added hit of supernatural flair to really have you questioning whether what you’re seeing is real. It’s a really fun one to unravel – one that’s more rewarding than the previous two films and would be more enjoyable on repeat viewings. I did rate Death on the Nile marginally higher than what I’m giving this film, but over the last year that film hasn’t held up as well as I thought it might.
The ‘haunting’ in the title isn’t just there for show – Branagh injects a strong supernatural element that impacts the identity of the film, predominantly through the cinematography. The film is littered with close-up shots, extreme close-ups and Dutch angles galore to really emphasise the spooky, terrifying nature of the story. This is most definitely DoP Haris Zambarlokos‘ best work in the trilogy, positioning actors to the edges of the frame and adopting a range of obscure angles to drive home a sense of uneasiness. Even the editing plays its role, harnessing lots of quick cuts to bamboozle the viewer. It even gets almost psychedelic at one point with how chaotic and frantic the editing becomes. For a director who hasn’t really delved into the realm of horror before, Branagh has done a fine job at blending the two genres. Now, as a horror fan, this wouldn’t be considered “scary” by my books – “spooky” is the word that describes it better. It’s not going to invoke feelings of terror, but the eerie tone is thrilling enough to be worthy of the ‘horror’ genre.
Performance-wise there’s the obvious stand-out in Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot. He’s perfectly nailed the character’s quirky persona and unique way of interacting with those around him – making him an absolute joy to watch. You always get the feeling that he’s the smartest man in the room, but not unrealistically so. There’s always an inkling of realism to the way he figures something out – like, it’s believable that a human with his intellect and keen eye could solve this. That’s what Branagh does so well – humanising this talented detective. Beyond the presence of Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh, the cast doesn’t have too many standouts, despite everyone playing their part well. Yeoh is an absolute treasure, so it’s no surprise she shines in her role. The surprise is with Fey’s surprising shift away from the comedic spotlight. She shares a quick quip or two with Branagh, but for the most part it’s a dramatic role that she does really well in. I still think her strong-suit is definitely in the comedy genre, but it’s nice to see her branch out, and do so successfully.
In the end, A Haunting in Venice is a great murder mystery that uses the supernatural in a fresh, inventive manner. Being set in a very confined space, exaggerated through the use of extreme close-ups and Dutch angle shots, it evokes an eerie tone that contributes to the thrilling nature of the series. It’s at times a little too slow-paced and admittedly takes a minute to get going, but overall presents a spooky mystery that’s very fun to unravel. At three films in, I’m curious to see what other great mysteries Branagh can pull from his vault of Agatha Christie tales.
7.9/10
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