“A Haunting In Venice” Brings A Spooky Vibe To Hercule Poirot’s Life [Review]
Hercule Poirot is a man of facts but the mystery in the damned Venetian palazzo shakes him up a bit.
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A Haunting in Venice is an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel titled Hallowe’en Party. Shortly after the events of Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot is living comfortably in retirement and self-imposed exile in Venice, the most glamorous city in the world.
In this film, Poirot wants nothing to do with any investigation after witnessing the carnage of war. To ensure this, he is constantly guarded by a bodyguard named Vitale Portfoglio (played by Riccardo Scamarcio) to discourage any potential clients from ambushing him on the streets with cases to investigate.
As always, Poirot’s idyllic life is upended by an alluring mystery. This time the mystery announced itself by the arrival of his friend, a mystery novelist named Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), and he was reluctantly dragged to a séance in a decaying, haunted palazzo.
The unforgettable characters are played by a brilliant ensemble cast including Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, and Emma Laird.
What to expect?
A Haunting in Venice is a delightful watch as it blends supernatural elements and realism in Poirot’s world. Poirot is a man of facts so it was interesting to see how he could explain the supernatural occurrences in the damned palazzo.
Since the story is set in post-World War 2 Venice, it sets up a perfect eerie and gothic vibe to the mystery.
While jump scares are to be expected in these films, I find it was executed well in this film as it feels organic to the story. You can hear the same sounds if you’re in a real Venetian palazzo on a stormy night whether there are ghosts or not.
The unique characters are played marvellously by the cast. Each character knew when to shine and when it was time to lay on the subterfuge. They kept the mystery and suspense consistent enough to keep you hooked on the story to the end.
A criticism I have is that Yeoh’s portrayal as the medium Joyce Reynolds was short. However, she left a lasting memory by perfectly navigating the fine line between being an empathic person who wants to help troubled people and a charlatan.
The mystery further unravels with the introduction of the other characters such as Rowena Drake, a traumatised former opera star; Dr Leslie Ferrier, a wartime field surgeon who suffers from PTSD; Leslie’s morbid and precocious son Leopold, Olga Seminoff, Rowena’s housekeeper; Nicholas Holland and Desdemona, siblings who served as Reynold’s assistants; and Maxime Gerard, a chef from Manhattan.
Overall, I liked that there are layers to the mystery in the haunted Venetian palazzo. When you think the mystery is tied up with explainable reasons, there is always more revealed.
The story of A Haunting in Venice differs from the book it’s adapted from. Oscar-winning director/producer Kenneth Branagh and screenwriter Academy Award nominee Michael Green agreed that it is very hard to surprise an Agatha Christie fan.
However, I believe the changes in the story let fans relive the experience of getting a new Agatha Christie story.
Parts of the changes include transporting the characters to the electrifying and labyrinthine city of Venice to further add to the creepiness.
There is nothing more haunted than a Venetian palazzo and the city just calls for mist and masks, and the creepy crawly, throw-a-body-in-the-river kind of feel. We wanted to take advantage and use the inherent spookiness and the magic and luster of Venice, to make an unimaginably terrifying Halloween night.
Screenwriter Michael Green
The changes were approved by James Prichard, one of the film’s executive producers and Agatha Christie’s great-grandson, who found the story still maintained the right tone and same spirit.
Should you watch or skip it?
Personally, I liked A Haunting in Venice better than the second film, Death on the Nile, so I’ll say it’s a must-watch at least once.
The mystery in Venice truly challenged Poirot’s beliefs and shook the fairly reasonable man to the core. A Haunting in Venice would also be a good addition to the Halloween flick roster.
A Haunting In Venice will be out in cinemas nationwide on 14 September 2023.
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