Review: Death on the Nile (2022), on Hotstar

A scene where an alligator glided through and then pounced on white birds perched upon a rock is present in Death On The Nile. This takes place soon after Poirot got a request to protect the intended target. It is a representation of all Hercule Poirot stories where chaos emerges moments after the detective ‘enters’.

Agatha Christie’s adaptations aren’t really fresh in the cinematic world. Death on the Nile, as one of the more popular stories by the Queen of Crime, isn’t source material that hasn’t been covered by studios in the past. As an adaptation of possibly many more adaptations, the film had a lot to live up to, or rather, avoid so as to not get labeled with criticism.

We have already seen multiple English language adaptations of her films in the 70 and 80s. While those were acclaimed, it is imperative to enhance the narrative setting of the 1930s with elements of the present day to help enhance its appeal. Director Kenneth Branagh did just that as representation is a factor here with people of color and the LGBTQ community getting featured in this film.

Fans of the book could get surprised as sequences are changed, roles are merged/added, and even omitted. Among the additions is also a backstory about Hercule Poirot and chase sequences. The latter in an Agatha Christie adaptation? Yup!

Death on The Nile picks up with this backstory and moves to the film’s present-day setting, with Poirot coming across a group that he obviously observes. The upgraded setting lends the weight to the film, making me liken it to a Luhrmanesque interpretation of the source material.

This feel continues even on the trip on the Nile with the boat, the camera work, and the screenplay, giving the audience a taste of glamor. In building up and providing details about the location, Branagh permits Haris Zambarloukos’ camera to capture the iconic pyramids and Abu Simbel. Certain liberties get taken with the aforementioned landmarks and get meticulously woven into the plot. Followers of Suchet’s Poirot or the novel may spot the change, but even they may agree that it fits in seamlessly.

When I talk about the Luhrmanesque feel, I say so as the music also lent weight to the film. The jazz element gets added and Branagh went for the jugular in using it to make Death on the Nile much better. Patrick Doyle’s music is not all jazz as the beats match and enhances the tone of each scene in the film.

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The music kind of helps audiences digest the extravagant manner of Poirot’s summation. He went all-in; had it been a half-hearted effort just for representation, things may have been different.

Despite Death on the Nile being watchable in certain aspects, some others weren’t too good. Primarily, Kenneth Branagh, who also expertly essayed the role of the mustached sleuth, began talking in a manner that reminded me of Steve Martin’s Jacques Clouseau. That lasted for a few fleeting moments, but took away from his role.

It also seemed problematic that Branagh didn’t transform himself for the portrayal of the little Belgian, as his version of Hercule Poirot did not look like the book description. Is this a case of excessive liberties? The mustache backstory may have its fair share of detractors, but the love thread was concocted in a manner that picked up elements from the novels and formed a conclusion.

That subplot was prominent throughout the film, with the tear in Poirot’s eye showing his emotional attachment to the case. Furthermore, it lent weight to Branagh’s display as the moist eye capped off a fine acting display.

The stellar supporting cast of Armie Hammer, Anette Benning, Tom Bateman, and Rose Lesley does not disappoint. However, the prime performances came from Letitia Wright and Emma Mackey. Wright’s scene with Poirot, Bouc, and Euphemia sees her scorn at the detective in all its glory. Mackey, as the scorned lover, has jealousy written on her face and in her eyes with every expression and every word she says. It’s hard to not suspect her, even though it’s tough to see her as the killer.

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Overall, Death on the Nile can be seen as a glitzy upgrade with elements to keep it relevant in the present day. However, it falls flat if you wish for a film set in the 1930s to be a representation of society in that era. Branagh seemed to have taken the description of Poirot as extremely vain, quite seriously. The Luhrmanesque effort to upgrade this film is an example of that. I liked it and felt it was a better sequel, and I feel the upgrades work as they didn’t deviate too much and make Poirot a super spy. (Well, not too much. He does run and fight, but the story shows that he is young). Would you watch an old Poirot again and again and again? Attribute this to a minor creative tweak rather than a major one.

On the flip side, the creative tweak in this film will motivate many others to jump off the Branagh Poirot offerings, the imminent Agatha Christie shared universe, and devote their time to Ustinov, Suchet, or perhaps the late Dame’s novels.

You can stream Death on the Nile on Disney+Hotstar