Hercule Poirot and his double moustache are back for a third thriller from Agatha Christie, and unlike Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, director, producer and star Kenneth Branagh has gone for a story not previously filmed, and in a sense, this is all the better for the movie, as this is the best of the trio. Yes, it’s creeky and old-fashioned, but it’s oozing in atmosphere and far spookier than The Nun II.

Poirot is now retired and enjoying a quiet life with his pastries in Venice. He wants nothing to do with investigating until his friend and author Ariadne Oliver invites him to join her to debunk a clairvoyant. Attending a Halloween party, notorious clairvoyant Mrs Reynolds joins a group of people in the house of opera singer Rowena Drake, brought in to contact Rowena’s daughter, who had died under mysterious circumstances. Still, when the night brings murder, Poirot comes out of retirement to search for the killer.

Branagh decides to take a different route this time. Instead of the showy, often distraction of his previous outings as the detective, he keeps the drama firmly set in one setting, a slowly dilapidating building during a rare storm, making it almost impossible for the cast of usual suspects to leave, hence as the crimes start to amp up, there’s no escape for anyone, including Poirot. This allows Branagh, the director, to have fun, giving the film added creepiness as items crash, water pours down the walls, and the lightning outside projects an atmosphere to the rooms inside.

Starting with a shocking opening in the pizzaza of Venice, Branagh and cinematogrpaher Haris Zambarloukos refuse to use tradional shots, instead angeling the camera to imbellish the atomsphere and make Venice look interesting and unusual, as well as shooting the actors from either below or above, making the scenes far more gripping. Even if the whodunnit element is still exactly how Christie plays out her crime books, it has a fresh approach.

What did stand out was how skilful Branagh is with delivering scares. Yes, this plays out like a tame horror film (don’t fear, there is no gore), but he manages to show those horror directors how to throw the odd jump scare without telegraphing them. Just simple moments when you find yourself drawn into the drama, and then BAM, you are shocked.

Branagh once again surrounds himself with a decent cast. Most notable is Tina Fey as, the American author who drags him out of retirement. She is a perfect foil to his stubbornness. She is playful, sometimes coy, but always watchable. Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh has fun with her role as the clairvoyant, while Jamie Dorman is allowed to play against type as a doctor suffering from the effects of World War II. Yet this is still Branagh’s film, and as Poirit, he has crafted a character who is brash yet with a touch of comedy, although this time he has to face not only a murder but the house is haunted.

A Haunting in Venice is precisely what you want from an old-fashioned whodunnit. It is full of red herrings, some creaky moments and overall tons of fun. This is the best of the series so far, and I hope there’s more to come.

4 out of 5

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Tiny Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, Jude Hill, Camille Cotton, Riccardo Scamarcio, Emma Laird, Kyle Allin, Ali Khan

Written by: Michael Green and (based on the novel “Halloween Party”) Agatha Christie.

Running Time: 103 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date; 15th September 2023