Hercule Poirot, probably the greatest detective in the world, will soon ply his trade once again in upcoming sequel Death on the Nile, and the reviews are now in. Following directly on from 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, the whodunnit thriller finds Kenneth Branagh back as director and star alongside another all-star cast. So, how does it fare against the rest of the Poirot saga?
We begin with our own Julian Roman, who found a whole lot to love about Poirot’s return, describing Death on the Nile as a “triumphant second outing.”
“Death on the Nile had me hooked from the start. It’s an engaging mystery with good performances and superb production values.”
Mike Reyes of CinemaBlend continued to heap praise on the efforts of Branagh and the rest of the cast, gifting Death on the Nile a rating of 4 out of 5 and hugely enjoying the movie’s methods of bringing an old-school mystery into more modern movie making.
“Whether you’re well-versed in this ship bound saga, or are a relatively new fan ready to follow Hercule Poirot anywhere after his previous caper, this journey is a delicious ride that’s as sexy as it is deadly. While a traditional mystery by formula, Kenneth Branagh's retelling experiments with modern twists and flare that make it compelling viewing, and a can't miss cinematic experience.”
The positives continue courtesy of IGN’s Siddhant Adlakha, who rated Death on the Nile another impressive 7/10, and states that, while the first half takes some patience, it’s all worth it for the intense second half.
“It takes Death on the Nile far longer than it should to reach its most impactful moments, but actor-director Kenneth Branagh cares deeply enough about Detective Poirot to make it work. While serviceable as a murder mystery, and surprisingly plain as a story of opulence, the film ultimately succeeds when Branagh turns the camera away from the digital settings and occasionally fake supporting performances, and points it at himself.”
Things Are Not All Positive Toward Death on the Nile Reactions
Of course, with the peaks must come the troughs, as Owen Gleiberman of Variety found fault with Death on the Nile, calling the movie a relic of the murder mysteries of old, particularly when compared to the likes of Knives Out.
“The new film is crisper and craftier than “Murder on the Orient Express”; it’s a moderately diverting dessert that carries you right along. It never transcends the feeling that you’re seeing a relic injected with life serum, but that, in a way, is part of its minor-league charm.”
SlashFilm’s Josh Spiegel continues the critiques, taking issue with some members of the supporting cast. “What sinks "Death on the Nile" ... isn't even the backstory surrounding Hercule Poirot's mustache, no matter how silly that collection of words is. It's that the ensemble here — perhaps excluding Branagh and Bateman, and only in a couple of scenes — are working very hard at giving very bad performances indeed,” the review reads. David Rooney of THR agrees saying, “Where the new film pales next to its predecessor is in the assembled party that accompanies the newly-weds on a cruise down the Nile aboard the fabulously appointed S.S. Karnak.”
Finally, Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly relished the old-timey trappings of Death on the Nile, ultimately rating the movie a B-.
“A sort of sumptuous dinner-theater redux studded with stray bits of caricature, camp, and many CG pyramids.”
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright, Death on the Nile is due to be released on February 11, 2022, by 20th Century Studios.