Tom Bateman, Annette Bening and Kenneth Branagh in the Kenneth Branagh movie ‘Death on the Nile’

Agatha Christie is perhaps best known for her detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The remake of the Poirot mystery Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in 2018. Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as director and star of the movie Death on the Nile (2022), based on the Christie book Death on the Nile, published in the United Kingdom in 1937 and in the United States in 1938.

(From left, Annette Bening as Euphemia and Tom Bateman as Bouc in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The movie Death on the Nile opens with an explanation for the signature mustache worn by Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The mustache dates back to Poirot‘s service in World War One. While serving his country in the military, a hidden trap kills many of the men while mutilating Poirot‘s face. Poirot‘s nurse and lover, Katherine as portrayed by Susannah Fielding, suggests the detective grow a mustache to camouflage the scars. While Katherine unfortunately dies in the war, born is Poirot’s signature mustache.

(Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It is 1937 that we next encounter our fair detective in a club in London, England, enjoying the singing of blues performer Salome Otterbourne. Poirot witnesses the introduction of Simon Doyle as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort’s fiancé to de Bellefort’s childhood friend, heiress Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway. Ridgeway agrees to enter into a business arrangement with Doyle that evening. Sophie Okonedo, Armie Hammer, Emma Mackey and Gal Gadot portrayed Otterbourne, Doyle, de Bellefort and Ridgeway, respectively.

(From left, Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle and Gal Gadot as Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway-Doyle in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It’s six weeks later that, while traveling in Egypt, Poirot encounters his friend Bouc with Euphemia, Bouc’s mother. Bouc invited Poirot to his hotel to attend the wedding of Linnet and Simon, which naturally comes as a surprise given the introductions witnessed back in London. Bouc and Euphemia were portrayed by Tom Bateman and Annette Bening, respectively.

(From left, Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler and Dawn French as Mrs. Bowers in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

Linnet and Simon are enjoying a honeymoon trip on the Nile River. Linnet’s maid, Louise Bourget, Linnet’s schoolfriend Rosalie, traveling as manager with her aunt, Salome Otterbourne, and Linnet’s godmother, Marie Van Schuyler with her nurse, Mrs. Bowers, all join the trip. Dr. Linus Windlesham, Linnet’s former fiancé who renounced his wealthy background, and Linnet’s cousin and financial manager, Andrew Katchadourian, also have joined the trip. Linnet asks Poirot to protect her from Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort, Simon Doyle’s former fiancé, who has followed the couple to Egypt out of presumed feelings of scorn. Bourget, Rosalie, Van Schuyler, Bowers, Windlesham and Katchadourian were portrayed by Rose Leslie, Letitia Wright, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Russell Brand and Ali Fazal, respectively.

(From left, Rose Leslie as Louise Bourget, Emma Mackey as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort and Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The vacationing party boards a cruise ship, Linnet confides to Poirot that she distrusts her guests, too. During an excursion to Abu Simbel, Egypt, Bouc reveals that he is dating Rosalie, against his mother’s wishes. With additional heat on the lives of Linnet and Simon while on excursion, the new bride feels worse when it is learned that Jackie has boarded the cruise ship. Linnet’s death eventually follows, with the apparent instrument of that death found with an investigation to follow, revealing several avenues for who could have committed the crime. Besides investigating the crime, confronting the death, and the further and final motivations for all revealed, the story of Poirot‘s only thoughts for his own romantic feelings, too, are made known.

(From left, Russell Brand as Dr. Linus Windlesham, Sophie Okonedo as Salome Otterbourne and Letitia Wright as Rosalie ‘Rosie’ Otterbourne in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The story that we witness with the movie Death on the Nile harkens back to a top notch book by Agatha Christie. The screenplay by Michael Green served us well in providing an entertaining story. The added production of both Kenneth Branagh and Ridley Scott, among others, likely improved the movie. I grant Death on the Nile as directed by Kenneth Branagh 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston and Billy Crudup in the Ridley Scott movie ‘Alien: Covenant’

A second Ridley Scott prequel to the movie Alien (1979) is our subject today. With the franchise original reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital here, and the first prequel Prometheus (2012) reviewed here, we pickup the tale for how the menace we first encountered back in 1979 came to exist as the menace we first cinematically met some 44-years ago. The name of this movie is Alien: Covenant (2017).

(From left, Guy Pearce as Peter Weyland and Michael Fassbender as David in the Ridley Scott movie Alien: Covenant).

The story of Alien: Covenant picks up neither with the remaining crew of Prometheus expedition, of the 2012 movie Prometheus, nor with the crew of colonization ship Covenant. Instead, we are given a prologue that predates the both movies with the introduction of the android David, whose role had been instrumental in the original prequel movie. We see David with his creator, Peter Weyland, in the moments following David’s animation. Guy Pearce and Michael Fassbender portrayed Weyland and David, respectively.

(From left, Billy Crudup as Christopher Oram, Katherine Waterston as Daniels and Michael Fassbender as Walter One in the Ridley Scott movie Alien: Covenant).

Eleven years after the Prometheus expedition, we meet the crew of the expedition ship Covenant. The Covenant, with 2000 colonists in stasis and 1,140 human embryos preserved for future life, is seven years from the planet the flight intends to colonize, Origae-6. Walter, an advanced android that resembles David and is portrayed by Michael Fassbender, wakes his 14 human crewmates when a solar flare damages the ship. In the reanimation process, ship’s captain Jake Branson, as portrayed by James Franco, dies.

(From left, Danny McBride as Tennessee and Amy Seimetz as Maggie Faris in the Ridley Scott movie Alien: Covenant).

It is during the ship repairs that a human voice from a habitable nearby planet captures the attention of the Covenant. Despite the arguments against investigating this nearby planet as made by Branson’s widow, Daniels as portrayed by Katherine Waterston, new captain Christopher Oram decides the crew will investigate. The investigation takes them to the planet encountered by the Prometheus expedition, which is where the group encounters David, eventually learning the fate of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw of that original expedition. Oram was portrayed by Billy Crudup. Carmen Ejogo portrayed Oram’s wife, Karine Oram. Noomi Repace portrayed Shaw.

(From left, Nathaniel Dean as Tom Hallett and Demián Bichir as Dan Lope in the Ridley Scott movie Alien: Covenant).

The investigation of the planet sees husband Tennessee keep Covenant afloat in orbit as his wife, Maggie Faris, flies a lander to the planet’s surface. Danny McBride and Amy Seimitz portrayed the pair, respectively. The action and horror of this science fiction movie take off at this point with the experiments of David driving many of the storylines that follow. The personal connections among characters that underpins much of the remaining story development does the movie credit in avoiding some of the problems present with the David Fincher directed Alien 3 (1992).

(From left, Carmen Ejogo as Karine Oram, Jussie Smollett as Ricks and Callie Hernandez as Upworth in the Ridley Scott movie Alien: Covenant).

The movie Alien: Covenant did much to align the Prometheus movie with the Alien franchise overall. What remains of the prequel stories, especially in what becomes of the characters portrayed by Katherine Waterson and Michael Fassbender in getting to the character portrayed Sigourney Weaver, remains a fascinating possibility to be explored. It is from this place that I grant the movie Alien: Covenant as directed by Ridley Scott 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five stars.

Matt – Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Hercule Poirot, Kenneth Branagh, and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’

When it comes to detective novels and murder mysteries, Agatha Christie is perhaps best known for her detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The first movie edition of Murder on the Orient Express (1974) was received warmly by critics and audiences alike. The recent remake, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), received less warmth from critics and audiences.

(Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot)

Kenneth Branagh directed and starred as Hercule Poirot in the 2017 rendition of Murder on the Orient Express. A star-studded cast joined Branagh, including Michelle Pfeiffer as Caroline Hubbard, Judi Dench as Princess Dragomiroff, Willem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardman, Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados, and Johnny Depp as Edward Ratchett. Many others joined in the story.

(Michelle Pfiefer as Caroline Hubbard)

This version of the movie maintains the larger framework of the book written by Agatha Christie while looking to bring in a contemporary moralizing and sensibility from a book written in 1934. If written today, the more likely means of locomotion would be an ocean cruise at sea for 2-3 days or a transcontinental flight meant to be in the air for a good long time with delays built in.

(Judi Dench as Princess Dragomiroff)

The movie begins as an extravagant train ride through Europe that, on the surface is a vacation for Hercule Poirot and the guests alike. The keen detective that is Poirot has his antenna up from the beginning when, quickly into the tale, the suspense and thrills of murder, clues, and detection begin.

(WIllem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardman)

Everyone seemingly has a motive for murder. The really baffling quality of the mystery here is that one lead after another after another leads to apparent dead end. The clear culprit defies the straightforward explanation that one would expect. Is the murderer Caroline Hubbard or Princess Dragomiroff? Might it have been Gerhard Hardman or Pilar Estravados? Many have plausible motives for murder, though not one of these suspects lends themselves to a satisfactory answer to the question who committed the murder?

(Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados)

My goal here is to give you a sense of the suspense. The discovery of the answer is one that I recommend you determine through reading the book or watching one of the movies.

(Johnny Depp as Edward Ratchett)

The critics consensus for this version of this movie, as shared on Rotten Tomatoes, is this:

“Stylish production and an all-star ensemble keep this Murder on the Orient Express from running off the rails, even if it never quite builds up to its classic predecessor’s illustrious head of steam.”

The critics consensus for the 1974 version, from Rotten Tomatoes, is more generous:

“Murder, intrigue, and a star-studded cast make this stylish production of Murder on the Orient Express one of the best Agatha Christie adaptations to see the silver screen.”

I personally enjoyed the 2017 version of the movie. That there were clues to unravel, multiple folks whose guilt was in question, and the underlying cleverness of an Agatha Christie murder mystery to outsmart were all there. For the very astute watcher, the solution to the crime is detectable. Regardless of the above stated critical reception, this basic quality was present in the movie.

The new Murder on the Orient Express is worth a stream through Amazon Prime, HBO, or any other service of choice. Rent a copy from the library if you must. I’ve read the book. I am interested to see the 1974 version all the more for the glowing review above. My recommendation is to choose your path and immerse yourself in the mystery.

Matt – Monday, September 17, 2018

The X-Men movie ‘Logan’ entertained this reviewer

Logan (2017) is the latest foray into the X-Men movie universe, having been released in March of 2017. The movie is as emotionally mature as any movie in the franchise, in this reviewer’s humble opinion, surpassing the original X-Men (2000) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) in this regard. Rating well among critics and audiences alike, if you enjoy action movies coupled with a compelling story that tells a compelling conclusion to compelling characters, you could do much worse than the story offered by Logan.

(Hugh Jackman)

Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine, or Logan, as the namesake of the movie Logan. We encounter an aged Logan in Mexico as a limousine driver and caretaker to the mentally and physically deteriorating Charles Xavier, played by Patrick Stewart. Logan and Charles are clearly suffering from health issues. Charles has Alzheimer’s Disease, though we never learn of the illness of Logan. Both took medicine to keep their symptoms under what semblance of control can be had.

(Patrick Stewart)

Feeling morally corrupted for hunting mutants before the beginning of Logan, the character Caliban has taken to supporting and hiding out with the very mutants he once pursued. Portrayed by Stephen Merchant, Caliban tries to confront Logan on the source of his disease. He (Caliban) had aimed to help Logan, if only Logan would trust in the friendship that Caliban attempts to offer.

(Stephen Merchant)

Boyd Holbrook plays the antagonist pursuing the three mutants we’ve met already in this review, namely Logan, Charles Xavier, and Caliban. As Pierce, Holbrook forwards the agenda of ridding the world of mutants while a cabal of his friends assist him in this work and other dastardly plans. Part of those plans include the continued experimentation on the child Logan never knew he had, namely Laura.

(Boyd Holbrook)

Laura is played by Dafne Keen, a child less than 13-years-old in the movie who appears to Logan in Mexico seeking safe travel with Logan to North Dakota and then on to Canada. It was Keen’s fluency in Spanish and English that helped land her a role as Laura. Charles Xavier knows of Laura being Logan’s child. Charles finds a way to communicate with the apparently mute Laura. It isn’t until after much traveling, and some unfortunate circumstances befalling Caliban and Charles that we learn Keen can talk.

(Dafne Keen)

The film Logan is filled with action and the kind of fighting scenes that would attract many action film fans. Much of the action bears away from the traditional X-Men fighting into territories of intense hand-to-hand combat. That there is the expected X-Men flare of Wolverine-style action from Laura, Logan, and younger variants of Logan do not disappoint.

There were thoughts of Terminator 2 that came to mind with the Spanish language dialogue, the Mexican border action, and the prolonged indestructibility of Logan. This part struck true to much of the Logan / Wolverine character  that we came to know throughout the series of X-Men movies. This is also true of much of the self-loathing and ambivalent dysfunction between Logan, Charles, and Laura.

The terminal outcome for characters who were critical to the X-Men series in Logan provided a degree of satisfying finality and closure; mostly the outcomes for the characters of Professor Charles Xavier and Logan are the ones I mean.

The movie Logan felt like a parting chapter in a way that was true to their larger narrative while not compromising the story that preceded it. In a sense, a fitting tribute for carrying on their legacy with another generation of characters was a seed we’re also planted.

I came away satisfied with the story told by Logan. If you had some doubt about watching a movie series based on comic book characters, let me say that there are plenty of choices of lesser caliber than X-Men. Consider the X-Men series, with Logan last, if ever you would be so inclined.

My appreciation here for the direction and writing for James Mangold. I further appreciated the added writing efforts of Scott Frank.

Matt – Friday, February 9, 2018