Death On The Nile Review: Kenneth Branagh’s Star-Studded Whodunit Feels More Like A Travelogue Than A Thriller

Starring Kenneth Branagh, Armie Hammer, Gal Gadot

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh’s second Agatha Christie adaptation as star and director — following 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express — involves two mysteries: one about the origins of Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s (Branagh) radar-deflecting handlebar moustache, the other concerns the murder of an heiress (Gal Gadot) during her honeymoon onboard a steamship sailing down the titular river. It isn’t a good sign when the secondary mystery (the facial fuzz) is more intriguing than the primary one (the pre-meditated homicide). The film, while gorgeously lensed and well-acted, traipses around with the casual pacing of a travelogue – for more than an hour! – before getting straight to the macabre business at hand. Even then, when the great detective calls out the perp(s), the revelation is prosaic and lacks punch. Now, that’s a crime. (2.5/5 stars) out in cinemas