Geek Review: Death on the Nile

Kenneth Branagh is back as Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot for one of his most famous adventures, Death on the Nile.

A sequel to the first film Murder on the Orient Express, which was also based on a book by Christie, Death on the Nile sees the detective upgrade his mode of travel from a train, to a cruise ship, both times still under the guidance of Branagh, who also returns to direct. This cruise is not any normal one, as it’s an exclusive one sailing through the Nile as part of Linnet (Gal Gadot) and Simon’s (Armie Hammer) honeymoon. 

Born into riches, Linnet met her now-husband Simon when he was then the fiance of her friend Jacqueline (Emma Mackey), also known as Jackie. The newlyweds escape to Egypt to cement their nuptials with friends and family in tow.

The wedding party includes Bouc (Tom Bateman), Poriot’s friend and confidant who viewers met in Murder on the Orient Express; Euphemia (Annette Bening), Bouc’s mother and a renowned painter; Linus (Russell Brand), Linnet’s ex-fiance and a doctor; Andrew (Ali Fazal), Linnet’s cousin and lawyer; Marie (Jennifer Saunders), Linnet’s Godmother; Mrs. Bowers (Dawn French), Marie’s companion and a nurse; Louise (Rose Leslie), Linnet’s maid; and Rosalie (Letitia Wright) as jazz singer Salome’s (Sophie Okonedo), niece as well as Linnet’s old classmate. 

The set-up is simple, as are mysteries from that era, and Branagh spends much of the first half of the movie setting up the premise and scene, of who these characters are, and how they are around one another. Yet, this is not some simple moving of pieces around the chessboard. Poirot himself is shown at the start, in a black and white sequence during No Man’s Land in the first World War, exhibiting his brilliance as a young soldier but also establishing Poirot’s pain that permeates across the movie. 

From the get-go, the Death on the Nile is obvious in its much stronger ensemble cast compared to Orient. Aside from Hammer, who is currently under investigation for sexual assault, the rest of the cast are fan-favourites from popular TV shows and movies, including DC’s Wonder Woman, Marvel’s Black Panther, HBO’s Game of Thrones and Netflix’s Sex Education, just to name a few. 

The chemistry in this ensemble cast flows more naturally – and so does the tension – when Poirot starts making his rounds in an attempt to solve a murder. This is also likely because these characters are clearly a whole lot more connected to each other as compared to Orient Express when passengers are supposedly strangers to one another. Having a clear understanding of who they are to each other allows viewers to create their own theories in their heads as the plot unfolds, which inadvertently makes the viewing experience a whole lot more interesting.

But before you try googling the plot of the book, know that writer Michael Green, who also wrote Orient, spent some time adding new characters and updating old ones. While the pieces on the board remain relatively intact, there is some joy in watching this more modern update play itself out.

Out of the cast of veterans and high profile stars though, the one to look out for is Mackey, the belligerant ex-fiance and jealous friend who stalks the couple throughout their honeymoon. Her desperation, hurt and craziness are easily communicated through a single look. Wright is also a pleasant surprise, as the Black Panther actress, who comes across as youthful and sassy, plays a smart, observant and calculative adult. Ultimately, the biggest letdown is Gadot, who is rather unlikeable as the one-dimensional heiress, and in certain scenes, looked incredibly out of place and awkward. 

If you don’t believe us, keep your eyes peeled for an incredibly awkward dry humping sex scene between Gadot and Hammer that will have you cringing even on your ride home from the theatres. We don’t know what happened there – oh god we can’t stop picturing it now.

As a murder mystery, Death on the Nile is definitely a step up from Orient, as it isn’t as slow-paced, and is a whole lot more visually pleasing, since it takes place on a cruise ship gliding across glorious Egypt in the background. Sadly, the large amount of background CGI makes it obvious that it wasn’t all shot on location, but it still looks beautiful, even if somewhat cartoon-like at times.

Sadly, Green might have updated the characters and their background, but he lacks the notion to update the movie for a more modern and discerning audience. It lacks the suspense and intrigue that made Seven and The Girl on the Train such favourites, and is missing the comedy that made Knives Out, Game Night and Murder Mystery entertaining. 

To put it simply, fans of the genre won’t be entirely disappointed by this film, but viewers will either be incredibly engaged or bored out of their wits – there’s no in-between. 

Death on the Nile’s saving grace is the notable cast and the beautiful visuals it brings to the screen – something that only reaches full impact when catching it in theatres. Whether that’s enough for you to make the travel to the nearest cinema is a call you’ll have to make on your own, but we wouldn’t be doing the trip twice. 

Maybe, just maybe, start reading the book instead. It’s always better than the movies anyways.