new to home video: Murder on the Orient Express

About mid-way through watching the latest version of Murder on the Orient Express, I suddenly remembered two things you'd think I would have remembered earlier: I'd read the novel, and I'd also seen the 1974 cinematic adaptation. More to the point, this caused me to suddenly remember how the story ends. This was a bit disappointing to me, as I was by this point thoroughly enthralled in the mystery of who killed Samuel Ratchett. No more mystery: I remembered precisely whodunit.

I didn't care.

Murder on the Orient Express is a delight for the eye, a symphony for the ear, and a welcome antidote to loving gift to viewers who like a little bit of intelligence in their cinema. It got mostly bad reviews. The critics are often, to put it bluntly, stupid.

The story: World famous private detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is suddenly called to London on urgent business, and, though a friendship with a railroad executive, is able to gain a last-minute seat on the Orient Express. He meets a colorful assortment of fellow passengers, including a gangster-like art dealer named Sam Ratchett (Johnny Depp). At some point during the journey, Ratchett is murdered, leaving everyone on the train as a suspect. To Poirot's frustration, every single person on the train has both an alibi and a possible motive, which makes solving the case nearly impossible.

That's the story in a nut shell, and it's an intriguing premise. But what makes Murder on the Orient Express work so well is the (no pun intended) execution.

Branagh, who directs as well as stars, has never been accused of subtlety, either as an actor or as a director. Whether he is actually capable of subtlety is unknowable and irrelevant. He simply is uninterested in subtlety. He believes in the big moment, the grand gesture, the spectacle. Sometimes this works (Dead Again is one of my favorite movies of all time), sometimes it doesn't (Love's Labour's Lost), and sometimes it's somewhere in between (I found his interpretation of Hamlet to be entertaining, but problematic). Here, it works wonders.

The casting: The 1974 movie version was famous for gathering an all-star cast, including such notables as Anthony Perkins, John Gielgud, and Sean Connery. Branagh revives that tradition here. You've got rising stars like Daisy Ridley and Josh Gad, respected veterans like Derek Jacobi and Judi Dench, brilliant character actors like Willem Dafoe, and established box office stars like Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer. None of it comes across as stunt casting; each celeb is perfectly cast in their role.

The soundtrack: Patrick Doyle's music is beautiful. As a regular collaborator with Branagh, he has often been called upon to go over the top with his orchestral soundtracks, but here, his music is reflective and wonderous. 

The visuals: The story is absolutely compelling, but even if you're already familiar with previous versions, watch this for the visuals. Working together with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukis, Branagh has turned every shot into a work of art. That's not exaggeration or hyperbole. Hypnotically falling snow and spectacular sunsets abound, but even the character shots are a marvel to behold. Seriously, freeze-frame any moment, and it's a feast for the eyes.

This is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in a long time.