DEATH ON THE NILE

Another star studded cast joins Agatha Christie's adaptation with the likes of Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Kenneth Branagh, Annette Bening, Rose Leslie, and Russell Brand. The story opens in a bar with Detective Hercule Poirot, enjoying some much needed and earned down time. He observes the passionately engaged couple of Simon Doyle (Hammer) and Jacqueline de Bellefort (played wonderfully by Margot Robbie doppelganger Emma Mackey), before Simon is subsequently introduced to Jacqueline's good friend Linnet Ridgeway (Gadot), who just hired Doyle as her estate planner at the behest of Jacqueline. Upon meeting each other, love at first sight strikes both Simon and Linnet as 6 weeks later Simon has broken off his engagement with Jacqueline and has instead wed Linnet. Spending their honeymoon abroad and at an attempt to ditch Jacqueline, who's still madly in love with Simon and following them around, the couple hops abroad a steamship down the Nile. Simon and Linnet are surrounded by friends and potential enemies, a murderer is onboard with a thirst for blood and will stop at nothing to get what they want. A far improved version of the novel over the 1978 film that still had a stellar cast but at times felt like a low production and made-for-TV movie. This has more grittiness, mystery, and suspense than it's predecessor. Branagh shines again as Poirot and doesn't come off as much of a jerk this time around compared to his previous turn in 2017's remake of the MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. However, there are still "updated" character traits for this film as one character is made to be a closet homosexual because, you know, "wokeness/representation." I've never read an Agatha Christie novel but I'm willing to bet the 1978 version is closer to the source material than this as this strays consistently from the original. If you're a fan of whodunit films or any of the cast members, this is a fun ride to take along the Nile. Beautiful costumes and set designs with a wicked twist that unfortunately, comes up limp compared to the '78 version. In saying that, I'd still be up for another Hercule Poirot adventure for a third time! 6/10