The long awaited sequel to the 2017 film “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Death on the Nile,” hit theaters on Feb. 11, enticing eager fans with its stunning cinematography and classic “whodunit” mystery. However, the film unfortunately disappointed many fans despite its grand aspects due to its predictability.
Directed by and starring Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh, written by Michael Green and based on author Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel by the same name, “Death on the Nile” seemingly possesses all the markers of an immediate box office smash: solid on-screen performances, interesting setting and storyline and enticing cinematography and directing. However, its mysteriousness and detective story lacks originality and surprise, leaving watchers of the extensively hyped film somewhat unimpressed.
The film follows the new investigation of French detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), who finds himself unintentionally embedded in a wedding party’s tension-filled honeymoon down the Nile river in Egypt. While appearances seem to point to a happy marriage and vacation, a love triangle between newly weds Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) and Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer) and Simon’s former fiance and Linnet’s former best friend Jacqueline De Bellefort (Emma Mackey), causes tensions and the possibility of murder to rise under the Egyptian sun.
While trapped on a boat floating down the Nile with an array of ‘Clue’-like characters — each simultaneously supporting the couples union and envious of their financial status — a murder is commited. Unsurprisingly, it is up to Poirot to sift through the alternative motives of the boat’s inhabitants in the hopes of discovering who is behind the murder. What follows is a circular spiral of interviews, more killing and surprise, all culminating into a rather melancholy, yet faintly satisfying ending revelation over the identification of the culprit.
At the heart of the film’s essence is the theme of love, specifically the extreme lengths those in love are willing to go in order to keep the object of their affection. Exemplified through the five mummified bodies seen leaving the docked boat at the film’s end, lovers within “Death on the Nile” go to unspeakable lengths to maintain their love, and the maxim “all’s fair in love and murder” seems to be reiterated time and time again before the film concludes.
While the story, pacing and plot of the movie is interesting to watch, there is nothing particularly new happening within the film. An effective addition to the mystery genre, “Death on the Nile” serves as a visually compelling watch with a steady quizzical quality throughout its ebbs and flows, but doesn’t present an extraordinary story by any means. Although entertaining, its mystery is completely predictable; it may have new characters, a new setting and original plot variation, but it is ultimately a direct product of works that came before it, not a reinvention.
Yet, considering the standard to which Branagh’s other works have set, “Death on the Nile” is amongst the most visually appealing. From start to finish, the film possesses an ocular beauty that draws in and enchants viewers with utterly dazzling camera shots, unique angles and overall dynamic cinematography. The use of color, light and reflections within “Death on the Nile” is both intentional and effective.
Red and green powerfully establish the mood and atmosphere of the film and even act as key clues in the unwinding mystery, to which is enhanced through careful lighting. For example, the opening scene of the movie where the history behind Poirot’s infamous mustache is revealed is shot in black and white, mimicking the desolate and fear filled atmosphere of the war. In comparison, radiant frames of the sun rising over the Nile river, the brilliant reflections of the illuminated steam boat the mystery unfolds upon, and picturesque shots of the Egyptian pyramids are filled with an attention to lighting and color that produces truly incandescent cinematography.
Director of photography and cinematography Haris Zambarloukos is to thank for the film’s exquisite visual appeal. His attention to movement, as well as close and distant detail when considering camera angles and audience’s focus works wonderfully throughout the film. Especially notable is the awareness of animals and animal movements within the film. Not only do birds and other passing animals like crocodiles foreshawdow and warn watchers of the uneasiness and murder soon to happenn on the Nile, trailing and tracking camera shots mimic the animal-like movement as well. This creates an intriguing visual experience.
While the cinematography, color and camera work are undoubtedly the best qualities of“Death on the Nile,”other aspects of the film were effective and enjoyable. Its directing and pacing is great, and the film’s use of foreshadowing, extensive attention to detail, and imagery is all around terrific. Also, with Gal Gadot, Ali Frazel, Tom Bateman, Letitia Wright, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Emma Mackey, Sophia Okonedo and the controversial Armie Hammer anchoring the film, “Death on the Nile” is brimming with well executed acting and on-screen chemistry. While no particular standouts emerged, all actors gave measured, well rounded and enticing performances and the varying French, English and other accents were surprisingly not as bad as first anticipated.
Audiences will also consider the slow introduction of characters and their brief background a positive aspect of the film, as watchers get the context of each participant in the same manner the detective himself receives it.
Another successful aspect of the film was its use of music. Apart from the suspenseful and thrilling music that propelled audiences deeper into the mystery and enhanced the over mood, music director Patrick Doyle’s implication of jazz music throughout “Death on the Nile” created an ambiance that was as smooth, comfortable, and intoxicating. Okonedo’s character — a jazz singer inspired by real-life vocalist and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe — was the vessel in which the musicality of the film really took flight. As articulated by Jay Gabler of The Current, “Okonedo lip-syncs to Tharpe recordings.. sound great and add welcome musical gusto to the proceedings.” Like the film’s cinematography, its music becomes one of its best assets at the hand of Okonedo’s performance and Doyle’s choices.
While effective at producing an enjoyable addition to the already thoroughly occupied detective and “whodunit” mystery genre, “Death on the Nile” is not inventing the genre by any means. Similar to Branagh’s previous work, the film contains a handful of eccentric characters all trapped in an exotic and contained setting. Those who enjoy the movie for more than a pleasant visual experience will do so because of its homage to “Murder on the Orient Express,” not for its unpredicability or suprise — to which the film lacks amost completely. Although effective in implementing aspects of deceit, familiarity and surprise, it is a sequel that does exactly as expected of a sequel and not much more.
Explained by a character of “Death on the Nile”, “I know you’re all thinking there’s a mystery at play here,” and there certainly is. However, it is a foreseeable, albeit visually enjoyable, mystery at that, making the film a solid work, but not a must-see for audiences.
Clairesse Schweig is an Entertainment Intern for the winter 2022 quarter. They can be reached at cschweig@uci.edu.
