Starts well, but finishes sloppily. The creepy atmosphere and surprisingly good scares aren’t enough to save A Haunting in Venice from mediocrity. I applaud and even praise Kenneth Branagh for attempting to revive the classic Hollywood murder-mystery movie, but perhaps Christie’s works have been adapted and served as inspiration so many times, that it is nearly impossible to adapt them for the screen–and hope to deliver something new or refreshing. Compared to Branagh’s two previous Christie adaptations, this one excels in atmosphere and character, but the story is underwhelming. Moreover, most of the clues are for the audience and not for Poirot. There is little earned by Poirot in this movie; and what he does discover, often makes little sense logically. At the end of the movie, the audience is left wondering how and why what Poirot learned actually led him to the big reveal.
Probably the shortest review I have ever written. But with this past week being a combination of my birthday and dealing with a personal matter, I am unable to focus intently on this movie. Of course, it doesn’t help that it was neither good nor bad enough to be truly memorable.
Ryan teaches Film Studies and Screenwriting at the University of Tampa and is a member of the Critics Association of Central Florida and Indie Film Critics of America. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog! Interested in Ryan making a guest appearance on your podcast or contributing to your website? Send him a DM on Twitter. If you’re ever in Tampa or Orlando, feel free to catch a movie with him.
R.L. Terry ReelView 