“A Haunting in Venice,” an unsettling supernatural thriller based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie and directed by and starring Oscar® winner Kenneth Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot, will open in theaters nationwide September 15, 2023. With a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green, “A Haunting in Venice” is produced by Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers. The film features a brilliant acting ensemble portraying a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh. Set in eerie, post World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, “A Haunting in Venice” is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.
What We Thought:
I’ve not read Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party so I can’t compare A Haunting in Venice to that original story. From what I gather the location and murders are different in each. As for the film itself I liked it overall and it makes for a classic whodunit story with a great location and characters.
I watched A Haunting in Venice as a crime thriller and not as a horror film and I think I got more out of it than others who were expecting a horror flick. The film is set during Halloween with classic kids costumes and a gothic flair, but to me it’s a whodunit with some jumpscares more than a horror/supernatural movie. There are supernatural elements, but it’s more a murder mystery than occult/slasher/horror vehicle.
Kenneth Branagh stars in his third Hercule Poirot crime thriller and he’s great in the part. He starts off retired, but soon finds himself at a party with Tina Fey’s author character Ariadne Oliver. The party is at a building believed to be haunted by the ghosts of children. A woman had drowned recently and there will be a séance performed to try to figure out if the woman had drowned accidentally or if it was murder. Of course this being an Agatha Christie story there are more murders and Poirot must return to his old ways of figuring out who done it.
The setting is perfect for the film. The building, the era, the costuming all work to build a cool gothic vibe for the murder mystery. Kids in old Halloween costumes is great in my book. Add in the lanterns, cloaks and old school masks and I’m there for it. The building once housed children that were believed to be killed by nurses and doctors and well it’s a perfect location for a supernatural based thriller.
Then there is the cast. Branagh is always great and it’s a nice Belfast reunion with Jamie Dornan and Jude Hill playing father and son in another Branagh film. Jude Hill is becoming a fantastic little actor and I can’t wait to see what else he does. Fey is decent in a dramatic role, but despite it being a period piece, I still saw her as Tina Fey. You can never go wrong with Kelly Reilly playing a bit of a wacko and Michelle Yeoh is always good.
A Haunting in Venice is solid and I think it can do well with an adult audience. I did guess what was happening pretty early on, but that didn’t ruin it for me. It’s not quite the full on horror flick you want to start Spooky Season, but if you’ve liked the previous two adaptations (or at least Murder on the Orient Express) I recommend it. If Branagh keeps making Christie adaptations I’ll keep watching them with the right cast.
The Nerds Templar 